Wordplay: For the Love of Language | Merriam-Webster

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The Opposite of Déjà Vu

When the familiar becomes unrecognizable

How long is a jiffy?

It depends who you ask

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?

Did they ever sell fleas?

17 Words for Dog Breeds

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

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

We just can’t bananaquit them

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

We’ve seen fire, we’ve seen rain, and we have many words for them

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

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

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

A bouquet of floral origin stories

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

11 Words Used to Great Effect by Edgar Allan Poe

The Vocabulary in the Rue Morgue

Has ‘supper’ always meant ‘dinner?'

Your grandmother might answer differently.

9 Financial Words With Surprising Origins

In the beginning, 'income' simply meant "coming in"

10 Phrases from Shakespeare

Where the "wild goose chase" comes from

7 Words from Political Scandals

Behind the smoke-filled rooms

Foreign

Acushla, and More Irish Words for Your Sweetheart

'In Vino Veritas' and Other Latin Phrases to Live By

Top 10 Latin Phrases

10 of Our Favourite British Words

Please don't whinge about being knackered, you prat.

10 English Words from Dutch

Learn how to tell your caboodle from your caboose

Schadenfreude and Other German Words Without Translation

Accept no substitutes

Games & Hobbies

Why Is the Sport Called ‘Pickleball’?

The origin story is clearer than most sports

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

Remember this and win.

Why 'Love' Means "Nothing"

In tennis. This is about tennis.

8 Prohibition-Era Words

From bathtub gin to the blind pig

The Scoop on 'The Proof Is in the Pudding'

A delicious question

Science & Nature

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

7 Luscious, Fruit-Based Idioms

For a touch of sweetness or acidity

Word History

7 Run-Down Words That Have Seen Better Days

They've taken a hit but are still standing.

Compound Words That Used to Make a Lot More Sense

How 'jack' met 'pot.' How 'wed' met 'lock.'

What Does 'Wi-Fi' Really Mean?

It’s probably not what you think

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

Skibidi! Mog!! Rizz!!!

Why did Yankee Doodle call a feather 'macaroni'?

What's with his feathered cap?