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Word History

The History of 'Cynic'

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

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The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

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Why Do People Pronounce It "Nucular"?

 

A linguistic analysis of a notorious pronunciation

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How a Ghost Word Appeared in the Dictionary

 

An imaginary word that snuck 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.

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Why does it sound strange to say 'funner' or 'funnest?'

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'Poets laureate'? 'Court-martials'? The curious history of postpositive adjectives in English.

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Who vs. Whom

 

Good news for those who feel stuffy saying 'whom.'

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