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Words

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A journey through ancient calendars, astrology, and timeless traditions.

How fast can you name all 26 words in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet? This quiz will put your knowledge and speed to the test.
Natalie Zamora|
From “dude” to “legit,” these terms and sayings date back much farther than you might realize.
Paul Anthony Jones|
There’s a two-part history to the origins of why we call pants a “pair” when it’s only one item of clothing. We explore the interesting background here.
Paul Anthony Jones|
Everything you need to know about where the term came from and how we use it today.
Logan DeLoye|
If you’ve been too embarrassed to ask the Gen Alpha kids in your life, here’s a rundown of what “skibidi” means and where it came from.
Paul Anthony Jones|
You’re not really wishing someone a good ‘bye.’ ‘Bye’ is just an abbreviation—and ‘good’ is sort of a mistake.
Ellen Gutoskey|
In case you aren’t caught up with the latest—or most classic—online lingo, here are 20 internet acronyms explained.
Paul Anthony Jones|
The history behind the popular acronym and what it really means to rsvp.
Logan DeLoye|
You’re far from the only one who does it, so why do we resort to weather when making small talk?
Paul Anthony Jones|
Everything you need to know about the Gen Z buzzword, including its origins and when to use it.
Logan DeLoye|
You might be surprised to learn that many words have origins from ancient Greek and Roman mythological creatures. Here are 12 examples.
Paul Anthony Jones|
Before we used the internet, these words meant something else entirely. Read on to learn the original meaning of 10 everyday internet terms.
Paul Anthony Jones|
What you call a carbonated beverage might say more about your zip code than your taste buds.
Logan DeLoye|
Where the word “woke” came from and how it’s used today.
Sam Hindman|
Winter is here—and if the bad weather catches up with you, you might find these words indispensable.
Paul Anthony Jones|
We’re giving you permission to disobey your stodgy old high school English teacher.
Ellen Gutoskey|
New data shows the most difficult Wordle games to figure out this year.
Paul Anthony Jones|
If you work in a corporate setting, it’s likely you’ve heard these terms tossed around this year.
Paul Anthony Jones|
Chances are you’ve heard some of these terms over the past year—whether you understood what they meant or not.
Paul Anthony Jones|
Is it bald faced lie, or bold faced lie? Coming down the pike? Or pipe? Coleslaw, or cold slaw?
Ellen Gutoskey|

More From the Language Section

Find out the story behind this viral phrase and how people are using it today.
Nitya Rao|
Have you seen all seven before? These strange punctuation marks once served a purpose, and can again!
Ryan Menezes|
What is "fomo", and why do we all feel it? Dive into the term’s origins and the psychology behind the fear of missing out.
Nitya Rao|
You’ll need to look back to Ancient Roman history to learn how the modern-day months got their names—and what they were called before.
Eric Vanderwall|
These familiar words and sayings, such as ableism, couch potato, and more, aren’t as old as you might think.
Paul Anthony Jones|
When winter bears down, it can be hard to think of anything outside of how much you hate (or love!) the snow and ice. Here are a few of the words and phenomena that could define this season.
Arallyn Primm|
You might be surprised to learn that German chocolate cake has nothing to do with Germany—it’s actually named after the guy who developed the specific chocolate.
Ellen Gutoskey|
These words don’t mean what they once did centuries ago.
Sam Hindman|
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