Words

George Bernard Shaw, a member of the Simplified Spelling Soesiety

The Early 20th Century Society That Tried to Make English Spelling More Intuitive

These British reformers wanted to ditch "i before e" for something a little simpler. Who could blame them?

The Time the Oxford English Dictionary Forgot a Word

The first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary defined 414,825 words. The problem? They forgot one.

11 Words and Phrases Popularized by Teddy Roosevelt

Contrary to his well-known slogan “speak softly and carry a big stick,” Theodore Roosevelt was hardly one to speak softly.

The One Word You Should Never Use When Apologizing

How to not sabotage your own apology.

12 Hats And How They Got Their Names

Sun hats, floppy hats, baseball caps, bucket hats: It’s easy to guess where the names of these hats come from. But what about fedoras, trilbies, and other headwear we’re donning this days?

10 Archaic Christmas Carol Words Explained

If you’re paying attention to your Christmas carols, there are some pretty ancient terms mixed in with all of the Fa-La-La-La-La-ing.

15 Wintry Words for Snowy Weather Across the United States

While the “Eskimos have 100 words for snow” debate remains up in the (cold, cold) air, we do know—thanks in large part to the folks at the Dictionary of American Regional English (DARE)—that Americans have no lack of idioms for the chilly white stuff.

Can You Guess the Secret Word in This Brain Teaser?

There are six words written on a board. Can you guess the correct one based on these clues?

How 8 Twin Cities Neighborhoods Got Their Names

Both crime and amphibians may play a role.

9 Spoonerisms (and Other Twists of the Tongue)

You know how sometimes when you're talking, your mouth is moving faster than your brain and you inevitably transpose the beginning parts of a couple of words? That's called a Spoonerism.

15 Subatomic Word Origins

The names for many of the dozens of particles that make up the universe—as well as a few that are still purely theoretical—come from ancient Greek.

25 Words That Don’t Mean What They Used To

It’s to be expected that the words we use will change and develop over time. In some instances, these developments can lead to words gaining new meanings entirely different from their original implications.

25 Words That Don’t Mean What They Used To

It’s to be expected that the words we use will change and develop over time. In some instances, these developments can lead to words gaining new meanings entirely different from their original implications.

Ajwad Creative (Speech Bubble), Overearth (book) // iStock via Getty Images Plus

25 Smart Words You Should Be Using But Aren’t

There are countless words lying ignored in the murkier corners of the dictionary. Here's how to use them.

Why Are So Many Blackboards Green?

The term outlasted the technology.

Why Is 'Colonel' Spelled That Way?

English spelling is bizarre.

Zuki (speech bubble), pleshko74 (buffalo)/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Beyond “Buffalo Buffalo”: 9 Other Repetitive Sentences From Around The World

Repetitive or so-called antanaclastic sentences and tongue twisters like these are by no means unique to English—here are a few in other languages that you might want to try.

'Froyo,' 'Troll,' and 'Sriracha' Added to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The new batch of official entries includes more than 250 terms and phrases.

How New Words Become Mainstream

The path a word takes to enter the general lexicon isn't always a straightforward one.

Why You Should Drop 'Kind of' and 'Sort of' From Your Vocabulary

Your listeners will thank you.

16 Latin Question Words Hiding in the English Language

In the vocabulary of English, quis, quid, and ubi—meaning who, what, and where in Latin—are everywhere.

10 Obscure Bride-Related Words to Use During Wedding Season

These words will make you sound smart as you catch or dodge the bouquet.

9 Sweet Old Words for Bitter Tastes and Taunts

Whether you’re enjoying the sharp taste of an IPA or disliking some nasty words from a colleague, it’s hard not to talk about bitterness. But we could all use a few new—or old—terms for this all-too-common concept.

Hear the Interviews that Helped Build the Dictionary of American Regional English

The new release of old field recordings from the Dictionary of American Regional English showcase many weird and wonderful words.