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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

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How to Read a French Menu

 

How to 'amuse-bouche' without begging pardon for your French

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A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia

 

Some imitative words are more surprising than others

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Sneaked vs. Snuck

 

How the irregular 'snuck' sneaked into the dictionary

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How a Ghost Word Appeared in the Dictionary

 

An imaginary word that snuck into the dictionary

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How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

What our editors are looking for when they enter words in Merriam-Webster.