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Ghost words have nothing to do with otherworldly apparitions, but they’re enough to scare the headwords off lexicographers.

The origins of the phrase (indirectly) involve smelly cabbage, Donald Duck, and several Canadian journalists.

Nowadays, we use jones to express an intense craving for something. But it used to refer specifically to drugs.

English, the language of Shakespeare and the internet, is often touted for its flexibility and adaptability. But with great flexibility comes great inconsistenc

Fall is here, and you're getting hungry. Feast on this cornucopia of etymologies for seasonal veggies straight from the garden.

What is an Irish goodbye—and why is it called that?

Clichés are viewed as a sign of lazy writing, but they didn’t develop that reputation over night.

Some nouns only have a plural form, regardless of how we think of them. They are known as ‘pluralia tantum,’ Latin for “plural only.”

Try spicing your fall with a few of these rustic charmers, drawn from the pages of Washington Irving.

“The Drinkers Dictionary,” published by Franklin in the ‘Pennsylvania Gazette’ in January 1737, features terms like ‘nimptopsical’ and ‘cherubimical’ as synonyms for ‘drunk.’

You’ll be chuffed after you read this peng British slang list, with bare terms that will keep you from looking like a pillock.

Non-Philadelphians can finally look up the meaning of ‘jawn’ in the dictionary.