Wordplay

Arts & Culture

The History of 'Bull' and 'Bear' Markets

Which came first?

10 Words for Food with Unfortunate Names

All of them may be delicious, but one is offal

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

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

The Words of the Week - May 8

Lookups from war, holidays, and Alcatraz

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

Why do we say 'head over heels'?

The original version made more sense

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

The technical vocabulary hiding in your kitchen cabinet

The Opposite of Déjà Vu

When the familiar becomes unrecognizable

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

The answer to a color coded language riddle

Ten Kinds of Happiness

Joyful words from around the world

17 Words for Dog Breeds

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

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

… Ready for them?

8 Delicious Words with Inedible Meanings

Which one is the apple of your eye?

Stay Woke

Tracing the history of 'woke'

What exactly is a 'liberal'?

No one wants a 'servile arts' degree

15 Cheffy Words for Chefs (and Everyone Else)

Including 'cheffy'
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