play backward index mystery
Words Matter

The True Story of the Backward Index

These people needed a computer


There it sits, hidden in plain view on a set of shelves in the basement of the Merriam-Webster offices: the Backward Index. But why would anyone type out 315,000 words spelled in reverse?

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play backward index mystery
The True Story of the Backward Index

 

These people needed a computer

play hot mess
Hot Mess

 

Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings

play video who vs whom
Who vs. Whom

 

Good news for those who feel stuffy saying 'whom.'

play contractions
On Contractions of Multiple Words

 

You all would not have guessed some of these

play video literally
Literally

 

A word that (literally) drives people nuts

play videos pictures in the dictionary
Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.