Wordplay

Arts & Culture

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

Muggles welcome.

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

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

17 Words for Dog Breeds

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

Why do we say 'head over heels'?

The original version made more sense

The Words of the Week - Feb. 20

Lookups from the Winter Olympics, Islam, and the Sierra Nevadas

What's so extra about 'extra-virgin'?

The technical vocabulary hiding in your kitchen cabinet

12 Words and Phrases for Romantic Relationships

This list warms the cockles of our hearts

Where does the expression 'throw someone under the bus' come from?

Let's blame the British

'Gaslighting,' 'Woke,' 'Democracy,' and Other Top Lookups

We know you're going to look these up

Where does the phrase 'barn burner' come from?

This one's pretty exciting

Top Banana, Kingpin, and Other Nicknames for Important People

Big wigs, big enchiladas, and big shots

The Left Hand of (Supposed) Darkness

It depends on what side you're coming from.

Merriam-Webster's Short List of Gender and Identity Terms

In case you (or someone you know) has questions about what they mean

Why do we park in the driveway and drive on the parkway?

The answer to one of life's big questions

Bait and Switch: 10 Misleading Words for Foods

There's a reason 'mountain oysters' aren't on the seafood menu, friend

Pop Rhetoric: Our Favorites

Rhetorical devices in pop songs

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms

24 down-home turns of phrase

10 Words for Food with Unfortunate Names

All of them may be delicious, but one is offal

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

Look what you made us do

Words We’re Watching: ‘Brat’

Lexicography is so brat.

The History of 'Meme'

Meme isn't new, it dates back to the 1970s

8 Delicious Words with Inedible Meanings

Which one is the apple of your eye?

Word Icons

Legendary figures and the words that define them
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