Mental Floss
  • AMAZING FACTS
  • BIG QUESTIONS
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • #TBT
    • MOVIES
    • MUSIC
    • POP CULTURE
    • TV
  • HISTORY
    • HISTORY
    • ARCHAEOLOGY
    • BAD OLD DAYS WITH A.J. JACOBS
    • BIOGRAPHIES
    • KING TUT
    • TITANIC
    • WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH
  • LISTS
    • LISTS
    • BOOKS
    • FOOD
    • LANGUAGE
    • WORDS
  • LIVE SMARTER
    • LIVE SMARTER
    • HEALTH
    • SMART SHOPPING
    • TRAVEL
    • HACKS
    • FUN
  • QUIZZES
    • QUIZZES
    • KENNECTIONS WITH KEN JENNINGS
    • BRAINTEASERS
  • SCIENCE
    • SCIENCE
    • ANIMALS
    • ENVIRONMENT
    • SPACE
  • ALL STORIES
  • NEWSLETTER
  • ART
  • LANGUAGE
  • LINGUISTICS
  • WORDS
  • ART
  • LANGUAGE
  • LINGUISTICS
  • WORDS
Mental Floss

LANGUAGE

Work these greetings into conversations.

20 Terrific Alternatives to “Hello”

Why be boring when there are so many other ways to greet a person and forge a unique connection?

Editorial Staff

'Groomzilla' made the cut.

17 Terms That Just Got Added to the Oxford English Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary is here to help you learn the nuanced meaning of ‘deepfake.’

Ellen Gutoskey

Spelling is hard.

The 10 Hardest Words to Spell, According to Google

Googling how to spell ‘restaurant’ is nothing to be ashamed of.

Ellen Gutoskey



'Equity' and 'equality' are not quite the same.

What’s the Difference Between Equity and Equality?

The dictionary definition of ‘equity’ seems similar to that of ‘equality,’ but there’s an important distinction between the two.

Ellen Gutoskey


F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jane Austen, James Joyce, and Charlotte Bronte all used 'literally' in a figurative sense.

The Long History of the Figurative 'Literally'—and 8 Great Writers Who Used It

From Austen to Dickens and beyond, famous authors have had no problem with using the word 'literally' in a figurative sense.

Anastasia Rose Hyden


A sign in Irish on Achill Island in Ireland.

8 Fun Facts About the Irish Language

You may hear an "Erin go bragh" or two, but even on the most Irish of holidays, we don't hear much of the Irish language—which is a shame.

Arika Okrent


This dog thinks it's spelled "St. Patty's Day." We'll let it slide.

St. Patty’s Day vs. St. Paddy’s Day: Which Is Correct?

You can always avoid the issue by spelling out “St. Patrick’s Day,” but here’s how to properly abbreviate it.

Ellen Gutoskey
NEXT
Mental Floss
ABOUT
CONTACT US
NEWSLETTERS
PRIVACY POLICY
COOKIE POLICY
TERMS OF SERVICE
ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT
SITEMAP
A-Z Index

© 2023 Minute Media - © 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved