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Word History

The History of 'Cynic'

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

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play video cynic
The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

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A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia

 

Some imitative words are more surprising than others

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Is singular 'they' a better choice?

 

The awkward case of 'his or her'

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How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

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

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Hopefully

 

We believe the popular usage of this word is correct

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'Everyday' vs. 'Every Day'

 

A simple trick to keep them separate

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Why did Yankee Doodle call a feather 'macaroni'?

 

What's with his feathered cap?

Games & Quizzes

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Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
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Blossom Pick the best words!
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The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
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Challenging Standardized Test Words Quiz Vol. 3 You’re on your own for the math section.
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