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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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play video cynic
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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What Is 'Semantic Bleaching'?

 

How 'literally' can mean "figuratively"

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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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Sneaked vs. Snuck

 

How the irregular 'snuck' sneaked into the dictionary

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Healthy vs. Healthful

 

Why both words are equally good for you.

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Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs

 

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How Do You Pronounce 'Vase'?

 

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Games & Quizzes

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Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
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The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
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