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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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i.e. vs. e.g.

 

Often used, often confused. Here's some guidance and insight.

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How to Remember 'Affect' and 'Effect'

 

A simple way to keep them apart. (Most of the time.)

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Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.

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Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

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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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How to Read a French Menu

 

How to 'amuse-bouche' without begging pardon for your French

Games & Quizzes

Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
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Blossom Word Game You can make only 12 words. Pick the best ones!
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Missing Letter A crossword with a twist
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