Wordplay

Arts & Culture

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

And why isn't it 'bury the lead'?

How to use [Sic]

The politics of editorial comment.

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

… Ready for them?

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Our maraca shake brings all the hautbois to the yard

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Here's how all this nonsense started

What does 'eighty-six' mean?

We won't refuse you service

7 Words from Political Scandals

Behind the smoke-filled rooms

Stay Woke

Tracing the history of 'woke'

15 Cheffy Words for Chefs (and Everyone Else)

Including 'cheffy'

What exactly is a 'liberal'?

No one wants a 'servile arts' degree

If You Like to Complain About 'Decimate'...

You'll love to hate these other words!

10 Words Conjuring Hell and the Devil

Going beyond the fire and brimstone

The Hilarious History of 'OK'

English's most successful export

The History of 'Wag the Dog'

Making a big show about it

17 Words for Dog Breeds

If you love dogs and words, you’re barking up the right tree

Word Icons

Legendary figures and the words that define them

8 Delicious Words with Inedible Meanings

Which one is the apple of your eye?

The Words of the Week - Nov. 7

Lookups from election day, Los Angeles, and the theater

'Dumbledore', 'Hippogriff', and 11 More Real Words from Harry Potter

Muggles welcome.

Words We’re Watching: ‘Brat’

Lexicography is so brat.

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

Look what you made us do

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms

24 down-home turns of phrase

Pop Rhetoric: Our Favorites

Rhetorical devices in pop songs
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