✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition
Over 5,000 words added —
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✨📕 The NEW Collegiate Dictionary
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Learn More!
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Est. 1828
Grammar & Usage
Should we say ‘elfs’ or ‘elves'?
A question surrounding a hard-working plural.
How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'
What you really need to know
Is 'gift' really a verb?
You might not like the answer
Commonly Confused
Usage Notes
Spelling & Pronunciation
Punctuation
Popular
'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
How to pick the right one
'Buck Naked' or 'Butt Naked'?
It's a natural question
31 Useful Rhetorical Devices
Beyond 'simile' and 'metaphor'
The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'
For example, the different ways to use them
What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?
Graveyards are sometimes smaller, but not always.
Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
And which is the United States?
Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
Here's your explanation, and you're welcome
Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
When each letter can be seen but not heard
Commonly Confused
Commonly Confused
Is it 'forty' or 'fourty'?
This is usage
Read
Is It 'jail' or 'prison'?
How they differ and overlap
Read
'Deduction' vs. 'Induction' vs. 'Abduction'
Mmm, logic
Read
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?
We're gonna stop you right there
See All
'Awhile' vs. 'A While'
There are rules, but who's listening?
Usage Notes
See More
Can you end a sentence with a preposition?
Yes, a preposition is something you can end with.
First, Second and Third Person Explained
First, second, and third person explained
Are 'funner' and 'funnest' real words?
We got a whole mess of fun here, folks
Can you use 'comprised of'?
It's been in use for centuries.
Is it 'graduated' or 'was graduated from'?
No, this will not be on the test
See More
Spelling & Pronunciation
Spelling & Pronunciation
The Many Plurals of 'Octopus'
But which is correct?
Read
How to Remember the Spelling of 'Definitely'
A definitive answer.
Why does English have so many silent letters?
Inexplicable silent letters, explained
Read
Video: Why is there a 'c' in 'indict'?
And who put it there, anyway?
See All
10 Words You See But Don't Hear
How to pronounce 10 words with unpredictable stress and vowel sounds
Punctuation
See More
Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?
The shifting role of the apostrophe
A Guide to Using Colons
We'll get to semicolons later.
To Use or Not Use the "?" in Requests
"Would you read this, please."
All About Ellipses ...
How to use them … and talk about them
How to Use Word Division Dots and Syllable Hyphens
Dictionary secrets, revealed!
See More