Mark Peters

Joined: Apr 13, 2015

Mark Peters is the author of Bullshit: A Lexicon (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/258562/bullshit-by-mark-peters/) and a cartoonist on Instagram at @markpeterstoons.

The names of all three of these folks have gotten the adjective treatment.

There are plenty of colorful words out there for ‘villain.’

As with many words, we have Latin to thank.

Both are places where we bury the dearly departed, and the words are often used interchangeably. But that hasn’t always been the case.

These days, we use ‘GOP’ to refer to Republicans—but that wasn’t always the case.

What ‘GOP’ means isn’t complicated—but its history is.

From ‘six-foot bungalow’ to ‘pine overcoat,’ there have been some creative euphemisms for coffins over the ages—and some terms that were surprisingly (and uncomfortably) direct.

Where did this bizarre word come from, and how has it changed over the centuries?

Keep a look out for the origins of this weird phrase.

Popular theories involve pirates—and police.

Here are a few words for ignorant people you might want to add to your lexicon, from ‘wantwit’ to ‘dorkmunder’ to ‘ninnyhammer.’

The expression—which can be used for all things adorable—dates back to the early 20th century.

You ‘aught’ to know the answer of this question.

Suggestions for what to call the period of time from 2000–2009 ranged from ‘the nillies’ and ‘the oh-ohs’ to ‘the double zeroes’ and ‘the noughties.’ So how’d we land on ‘the aughts’?