Wordplay: For the Love of Language | Merriam-Webster

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Our Best Historical Slang Terms

'Hella' is in hella good company

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

We just can’t bananaquit them

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words (or Phrases) Birds Seem to Be Saying

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'

Your day is the worst. Your vocabulary is the best.

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

Heads up: one is 'vulgar'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

10 words expert players use

12 Words Whose History Will Surprise You

They all use this one weird trick (etymology)

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Our maraca shake brings all the hautbois to the yard

Word Choices

Gabrielle Zevin

Emily Flake

New Yorker Cartoonist

Celeste Ng

Eli Cymet

Video Game Writer/Producer, Cuphead

Emma Straub

Novelist and Children’s Book Author

Arts & Culture

The Words of the Week - Sept. 5

Lookups from Los Angeles, Lisbon, and Washington, D.C.

A Great Big List of Bread Words

Quit loafing around and get that bread (word)

A List of The U.S. Military Ranks in Order

From Private to General of the Army

9 Other Words for Beautiful

Here are some additional words for calling something lovely

What Does 'Eighty-Six' Mean?

We won't refuse you service

Foreign

17 English Words That Come From Japanese

Some borrowed words don't get returned

All About Latin Plurals

Check your dictionary

'Disinformation,' 'Parka,' and Other Common Words from Russian

8 Words We Stole from French

Spoiler: We stole way more than 8

Digging Up the Latin Roots of 14 Abbreviations

Beyond 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Games & Hobbies

12 Words From Basketball

Plus a few terms that never quite made it

What It Means to ‘Touch Base’

Just checking in with it

A Player's Guide to 'Q' without 'U' Words

Remember this and win.

Why 'Love' Means "Nothing"

In tennis. This is about tennis.

The Scoop on 'The Proof Is in the Pudding'

A delicious question

Science & Nature

7 Luscious, Fruit-Based Idioms

For a touch of sweetness or acidity

Fruit vs. Vegetable

Are you sure you know which is what?

7 Especially Fitting Common Names for Plants

So you don't mix up your Swiss Cheese plants with your Dutchman's Breeches

12 Words for Signs of Spring

Spring is springing

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Words for uncommon fears

Word History

Quick: Read This!

'Quick' once had a very different meaning

'Handsome,' 'Geek,' and 8 More Words That Changed Their Meanings

Language evolves

Where does 'hello' come from?

Don't answer the phone with 'ahoy'

13 New Words for Old Things

When did 'mail' become 'snail mail'?

7 Run-Down Words That Have Seen Better Days

They've taken a hit but are still standing.