Our Dictionary Through Time
Webster's legendary editions - from 1828 through today.
|
The Longest Word in the Dictionary
It's not "antidisestablishmentarianism" after all, and here's the short, sweet reason why.
|
Its vs. It's
Some practical guidance, and interesting history, about a common mistake.
|
Weird Plurals
One goose, two geese. One moose, two... moose. What's up with that?
|
Healthy vs. Healthful
Why both words are equally good for you.
|
Pictures in the Dictionary
The story of those iconic illustrations.
|
The Ampersand & More
Where the "and" symbol comes from.
|
I vs. Me
'Between you and __'? Simple guidance for a tricky pronoun.
|
Why Words Get Cut from the Dictionary
What happened to snollygoster, hodad, frutescent, and more.
|
Defenestration
The fascinating story behind many people's favorite word.
|
Literally
How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.
|
Irregardless
It is in fact a real word (but that doesn't mean you should use it).
|
Okay?
Bizarre origins of the world's most recognized word.
|
What "Ironic" Really Means
"Rain on your wedding day" and other disputed usages.
|
"Mispronunciations" That May Be Fine
"Mischievous," "nuclear," and other words to pronounce with caution.
|
The Awkward Case of "His or Her"
Despite what the grammar police might say, it's actually fine to use "their" as a singular pronoun.
|
How a Word Gets into the Dictionary
What our editors are looking for when they choose words for Merriam-Webster's.
|
New Dictionary Words for 2011
"Cougar," "Crowdsourcing," "Bromance" and more - the latest additions to America's best-selling dictionary.
|
Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs
You don't have to end all your adverbs in -ly to talk right.
|
A vs. An
When to use one or the other, and "an" historical exception or two.
|
Soop vs. Soup
Noah Webster: the man who changed the way we spell... up to a point.
|
Ghost Word
The story of an imaginary word that managed to sneak past our editors and enter the dictionary.
|
Hopefully
Contrary to what your teachers may have said, we believe the popular usage of this word is correct. Hopefully you agree.
|
Ending a Sentence with a Preposition
An old-fashioned rule we can no longer put up with.
|
Who vs. Whom
Good news for those who feel stuffy saying "whom."
|
Gridiron
From torture to tailgating—the origins of an American football term.
|
Christmas vs. Xmas
The surprising history behind this controversial abbreviation.
|
Rhyming Slang
"Put up your dukes," "86'd," and other examples of rhyming slang.
|
Frequently Looked Up Words
An insight into the words often topping the list.
|
Gourmet
Labels for foodies: the difference between "gourmet," "gourmand," and "epicure."
|
Stinkeye
Beyond a dirty look: the meaning and origins of this evocative term.
|
Open Dictionary
What makes a good submission to the Open Dictionary, our collection of New Words & Slang?
|
Than & Then
When to use "than" and when to use "then," and when those rules get tricky.
|
Octopus
What's the correct plural of "octopus": "octopuses" or "octopi"? Yes – and then some.
|
Penultimate
What's the difference in meaning between "ultimate" and "penultimate"?
|
Fewer and Less
The rule is that "fewer" refers to number among things you can count – except, that is, when "less" does.
|
Posh
Dispelling some common misconceptions about the origin of "posh."
|
Doozy
Does the word "doozy" really come from the Duesenberg Motor Company's famous cars?
|
Rein vs. Reign
Do you "reign something in," or "rein something in"?
|
Hat Trick
The origins of "hat trick" – where hockey and haberdashery collide.
|
Ratiocinate
There's something suspicious about Sherlock Holmes and the use of "ratiocinate."
|
Cop
Just how – and why, where, and when – did police officers come to be called "cops"?
|
Slang
Does slang belong in the dictionary? Yup. Here's why.
|
Classic Roots
English is a Germanic language. So where did all that Latin come from?
|
I Before E
A familiar spelling "rule" and its many exceptions.
|
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson's death sent many people to the dictionary. What did they look up?
|
Affect vs. Effect
Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.
|
