LANGUAGE

America’s 10 Most Commonly Misunderstood Slang Terms

American slang terms can vary from state to state—these in particular are known to cause confusion.

It’s not one you’re likely to use in everyday conversation—but you will find it in an dictionary.

What’s the Longest Word in English?

Spoiler alert: Despite what you might have heard, it’s not ‘antidisestablishmentarianism.’

Spoilers for this article without context.

15 Fascinating Linguistics Terms You Didn’t Learn in School

This list of linguistics terms will teach you how to tell your spoonerisms from your mondegreens.

We can thank Shakespeare for popularizing it, sort of.

Why Do We Say ‘In a Pickle’?

Contrary to popular belief, Shakespeare wasn’t the one who invented this common idiom. But trying to unravel its origins will land you in a bit of a tricky situation.

What Does ‘Wi-Fi’ Stand For? It’s Complicated

If you think 'Wi-Fi' stands for 'wireless fidelity,' you should read this.

We don’t know a lot about where the phrase came from.

What Does the Phrase ‘Keep It Under Your Hat’ Mean?

The phrase has evolved somewhat since its first uses—and its origin is something of a mystery.

George Washington went by a code name during the Revolutionary War. (And technically, he should be saying, “Hello, my 411 is 711”—411 was the code for “name.”)

12 Historical Code Words and Phrases

Asking a police officer “do you drink?” in the 1970s had nothing to do with grabbing a beer at a nearby bar.

A pixelated version of an illustration by Édouard-Henri Avril from the 1824 book ‘De figuris Veneris.’

The Research Error That Gave Us the Phrase ‘Missionary Position’

The origins of the phrase 'missionary position' involve Alfred Kinsey, some shoddy research, and zero actual missionaries.

The Real History of Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman” Speech

Here's how one transcription of Sojourner Truth's 1851 speech fabricated her most famous quote.

‘Don’t Fire Until Your See the Whites of Their Eyes’ may (or may not) have been uttered at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

‘Don’t Fire Until You See the Whites of Their Eyes’: The Obscure Origin of the Military Command

Legend has it that a heroic American commander at the Battle of Bunker Hill implored his men to hold their fire until their enemies were under their noses. But did the event actually happen?

Why Do We Call Hit Movies ‘Blockbusters’?

Before the word was used to describe hit movies, ‘blockbusters’ was a nickname for a highly destructive bomb.

The 20 Most Spoken Languages in the World

Learn a fun fact about each of the most popular languages in the world.

11 Game Names and Their Fun-Filled Origins

We have many games to while away long days, but where do words like 'poker' and 'hopscotch' come from? Here are the etymological origins of 11 popular games.

What do you think these Anglo-Saxon warriors are talking about?

20 Brilliant Anglo-Saxon Words We Should Bring Back

Old English had a rich array of inventive and intriguing words, many of which have either long since dropped out of use or were replaced.

Norwegian moviegoers had no idea what they were in for with 'Airplane!' (1980).

Help! The Bizarre Way Norway Translated Foreign Movie Titles

If you wanted to market a comedy in Norway in the 1970s and 1980s, you needed the Hjelp formula.

Castilian vs. Latin American Spanish: 12 Words You Don’t Want to Confuse

‘Coger’ and the other terms on this list mean something very different in Spain than they do in other hispanophone countries.

Rawfords Mill near Huddersfield, Yorkshire, was a target of the Luddite movement.

The Luddite Movement’s Bloody Origins

The original Luddites were workers whose jobs were threatened by new technology—and who fought back.

The Most Common Last Name in Every Country, Mapped

The names were put into one of six different categories: ancestral, occupational, geographical, toponymic (or place name), personal characteristics, and patronage.

A 4000-year-old dog walks into a 4000-year-old bar ... / AevanStock, Master1307, and saoirse2013, via Shutterstock

9 of the World’s Oldest Jokes and Brainteasers

The oldest joke in recorded history is a fart joke that dates all the way back to 1900 BCE.

‘Burned’ vs. ‘Burnt’: What’s the Difference?

‘Burnt’ and ‘burned’ are both acceptable, but they serve different purposes (at least, they do in American English).

Military Slang Terms: 11 Examples, Explained

The close quarters of those serving together in war is a perfect Petri dish for slang. From ‘FUBAR’ to ‘fobbit,’ here are some military slang terms you should know (plus, why the military uses so many acronyms, anyway).

The origins of these animals’ names may surprise you.

How 20 Animals Got Their Names

‘Hippopotamus’ is Latin for “river-horse,” which makes sense for these semiaquatic mammals. The origins of some other animal names aren’t quite as literal.

Why Do We Call Kids “Rug Rats”?

It’s hardly the most complimentary turn of phrase, but rug rat has been a slang term for children for more than half a century.

Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright), once referred to as a "sweet summer child."

10 Common Phrases That Came From Pop Culture

From mullet to bucket list, these terms from pop culture are newer than you may have assumed.

PREV NEXT