WORDS

Where Did the Term Lame Duck Originate?

Lame duck presidents date back to the beginning of U.S. history, but we didn’t start calling them that until the 20th century.

She wrote "sneak peak" instead of "sneak peek."

12 Notable English Language Mistakes

‘Irregardless’ is technically a word, and ‘dord’ technically isn’t (though it has shown up in a few old dictionaries).

Use these words for feelings you can't express in your own language.

10 Untranslatable Words That Perfectly Describe How You're Feeling in 2020

The intense emotions we’re all experiencing right now can often feel inexpressible, beyond words. But words in another language than your own just might be the key to giving voice to those emotions.

What do meat, dog beds, and underwear all have in common? Kirkland Signature.

How Costco's 'Kirkland Signature' Got Its Name

Unlike other stores, Costco only has one private label—but 'Kirkland Signature' wasn’t the founder's first choice.

How Lolita Author Vladimir Nabokov Helped Ruth Bader Ginsburg Find Her Voice

Before Vladimir Nabokov gained fame for ‘Lolita,’ he helped hone the writing skills of a future Supreme Court icon.

Wa wa wee wa! Sacha Baron Cohen is back in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2020).

Wa Wa Wee Wa: The Origin of Borat's Favorite Catchphrase

The pervasive slang term was everywhere following the 2006 release of 'Borat.' But it isn't made up.

Filtration Software Censored the Word Bone at a Paleontology Conference

'Bone,' 'crack,' and 'pubis' were on the list of words censored by the chat software at this year's virtual Society of Vertebrate Paleontology conference.

Wildfires have reached historic proportions this year.

What Exactly Is a Gigafire?

The August Complex fire ravaging California is being called a "gigafire," and it's every bit as imposing and destructive as the name implies.

We have a difficult time catching our own typing mistakes.

The Reason It's So Hard to Spot Your Own Typos

Errors in writing aren't easy to detect when you're proofreading your own work. The problem is your brain.

Online dictionaries can add words a little more quickly than their printed counterparts.

More Than 650 New Words Have Been Added to Dictionary.com—Here Are 50 of Them

With a total of about 15,000 new words, definitions, and other revisions, it’s Dictionary.com’s biggest update of all time.

Jakoś to Będzie: Poland's Anti-Hygge Approach to Happiness

The next time you feel hopeless, say "jakoś to będzie"—a Polish phrase that translates to "things will work out in the end."

Do Your Bowels Suddenly Spring to Life in Bookstores? You’re Not Alone—and the Japanese Even Have a Term for It: Mariko Aoki

In the ’80s, Mariko Aoki wrote to a magazine about her strange habit of having to poop in bookstores. Now, she’s the namesake for the condition.

These words will bring a smile to your face.

The 10 Happiest Finnish Words, According to the People of Finland

To celebrate the launch of their new Finnish course, Duolingo partnered with the website Very Finnish Problems to find out which words make the people of Finland happiest.

Anarchist Émile Chapelier teaches Esperanto to the members of his Libertarian commune.

Universal Soldiers: The Individuals Keeping the Esperanto Language Dream Alive

The universal language never quite changed the world, but enthusiasts and Duolingo users are doing their bit to change that.

Who Was Jim Crow?

The name "Jim Crow" appears throughout many U.S. history books, but he was a caricature—not a real person.

Why Do We Say ‘Spill the Beans’?

The phrase was around long before Kevin Malone dropped his famous chili in season five of ‘The Office.’

The last lines from The Great Gatsby are also on F. Scott Fitzgerald's gravestone.

The Last Lines From 19 Popular Books

Celebrate National Book Lovers Day with the last lines from ‘The Great Gatsby,’ ‘Little Women,’ and 17 other classic novels.

Are they sneakers ... or are they trainers?

12 Words With Very Different Meanings in the U.S. and the UK

According to the internet, it was George Bernard Shaw who said, “The United States and Great Britain are two countries separated by a common language.” Here are 12 common culprits that cause confusion.

Grave Error: A Man Attempting to Fake His Own Death Was Caught Because of a Typo

Robert Berger tried to avoid a jail sentence by forging a death certificate. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as the Office of Vital Statistics and Regsitry.

Seniors in nursing homes are hoping to develop new friendships with pen pals.

Seniors in a North Carolina Assisted Living Facility Are Looking for Pen Pals

Residents of Victorian Care Center in North Carolina are hoping to connect with people in a time when family visits are being restricted.

There's no law requiring you to spend every other holiday with your in-laws.

Why Do We Call Our Spouse's Relatives 'In-Laws'?

It all started as a reminder about which relatives the Catholic Church prohibited you from marrying.

Joanne K. Watson/Merriam-Webster via Getty Images

Merriam-Webster Is Updating Its Definition of Racism to Emphasize Systemic Prejudice

After sending Merriam-Webster a series of emails, Kennedy Mitchum convinced the dictionary to revise its entry for 'racism' to better emphasize the systemic aspects.

This woman systematically drinks orange juice while her creative juices are flowing.

Systemic vs. Systematic: How to Use Each Word Correctly

Something systemic—like a disease—means it’s present throughout a system. ‘Systematic’ refers to how a system is operated.

Graves in potter's fields are sometimes marked with blank headstones or crosses.

Why Are Common Graves Called Potter’s Fields?

After a remorseful Judas returned his payment for betraying Jesus, the high priests used it to buy the very first potter’s field.

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