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Word History

Words of the Year: 1066

Why is pig meat called 'pork' and cow meat called 'beef?' Because English took on a big serving of French words following the Norman Conquest.


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Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

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How to Use a Dictionary

 

The best way to find information in the dictionary

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Video: Why is there a 'c' in 'indict'?

 

And who put it there, anyway?

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Sneaked vs. Snuck

 

How the irregular 'snuck' sneaked into the dictionary

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How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

What our editors are looking for when they enter words in Merriam-Webster.