SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

alt-5ade0178d0e4c

HRC: Media Opened Door to 'Charlatans'

'faker or fraud'

alt-5ada140ed3e28

'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

Going Greek: 7 Words from the Greek Alphabet

When English borrows from another alphabet

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Hot Mess

"The public is a hot mess"

Up Next

Title

CANCEL

135,298 views

Featuring: Emily Brewster

You're probably familiar with the term hot mess. But do you know how old hot mess really is?

Comments

show

Up Next

Autoplay

Words at Play

Words from Letters in the Greek Alphabet

When English borrows from another alphabet

alt-5ada140ed3e28

'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

alt-5ad8fc71357ed

Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

No, it's not a coiffure trend

alt-5ad8d3361fb97

Where 'Cliff-hangers' Come From

You're on the edge of your seat

Word Games

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Take the quiz

cats-on-impossible-timber

More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

Take the quiz

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

Take the quiz

Citation

Do you know the person or title these quotes describe?

Play the game