Wordplay: For the Love of Language | Merriam-Webster

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Words For Things You Didn't Know Have Names, Vol. 3

When thingummy and whatsit won't do

‘Fascism’: The Word’s Meaning and History

What Does “QR Code” Stand For?

Not all abbreviations are as complex as they seem.

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?

The answer to a color coded language riddle

17 Words for Dog Breeds

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

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words (or Phrases) Birds Seem to Be Saying

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

We just can’t bananaquit them

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

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

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

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

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Here's how all this nonsense started

What does 'eighty-six' mean?

We won't refuse you service

The Changing Meaning of 'Elope'

Read this before you elope. Or 'elope.'

Foreign

Schadenfreude and Other German Words Without Translation

Accept no substitutes

Alcohol & Algebra: Common Words from Arabic

Number 4 might scare you

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

Games & Hobbies

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

Remember this and win.

19 Palindromes You Might Not Know

Learn some fun vocabulary with these palindromes!

12 Words From Basketball

Plus a few terms that never quite made it

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

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different

Including the secret history of 'secretary'

Surprising Words from the 1920s

Robots, "Atom Bombs," and "Rocket Ships" Were All Born in the Jazz Age

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

Heads up: one is 'vulgar'

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

Language evolves