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Why Is A Police Officer’s Baton Called a Billy Club?

The baton has been a law enforcement tool for close to two centuries. But did anyone named Billy actually have anything to do with it?

Know what to say when you visit Little Rhody.

13 Rhode Island Slang Terms You Should Know

Familiarize yourself with these 13 expressions and your Ocean State stay will be that much smoother and more satisfying.

'Lady with a Parasol' by Impressionist Hamilton Hamilton.

13 Old-Timey Synonyms for ‘Hot’ to Bring Back This Summer

Why be sweltering and sunburnt when you can be swoly and birsled instead?

From left: Idris Elba, Michelle Yeoh, Brendan Fraser, and Lupita Nyongo’o.

27 Actor Names You're Probably Mispronouncing

Don't even think of introducing Claes Bang at an awards show until you read this.

The 20 Most Popular Baby Names of 2022, According to the Social Security Administration

The most popular baby names of 2022 are very, very similar to those from 2021.

This dachshund wants you to know you're probably mispronouncing the name of his breed.

The Right Way to Pronounce 'Dachshund'

Dachshund is actually made up of two smaller German words (dachs, which means “badger,” and hund, which means “dog”) and it's not pronounced “dash-hound.”

Now you know how to sing the alphabet in a few other languages!

Singing the ABCs in 7 Different Languages

English isn’t the only alphabet, and not every alphabet will fit into “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Here are some other songs from around the world to help them learn their ABCs.

This little symbol has a fascinating history.

Where Did the Ampersand Symbol Come From?

From what an ampersand symbol is to where it came from, here's what you need to know about this little symbol's surprisingly long history.

Is ‘Main Character Energy’ a Real Thing? Here’s What It Is—and How To Tell if You Have It

Social media has been buzzing about "main character energy" for years, but what does it actually mean?

Minutemen fought for America but probably sounded British.

When Did Americans Lose Their British Accents?

One big factor in the divergence of the accents is something called 'rhotacism.'

Scuba is just one of the words that's actually an acronym.

25 Words That Are Actually Acronyms

Here are the stories and meanings behind 25 words, names, and titles that you might not have realized actually stand for something.

Ever wonder what you're supposed to be minding when your mind your p's and q's?

What Exactly Are Your P’s and Q’s?

Does it have to do with pea coats? Or maybe Latin scribes?

The Interesting Etymologies of 71 Everyday Words

Here’s (at least) one interesting way station each of these common words made on its journey to the present day, whether it’s an analysis of the Latin roots, a hypothesis about a proto-Indo-European origin, or a pivotal change in meaning.

Never forget the last names of Henry VIII's wives or the order of the planets with these mnemonic sentences.

13 Mnemonic Sentences To Boost Your General Knowledge

“A Big Secret Conceals Her Past” will help you remember the names (and order) of Henry VIII's wives.

Exhibit vs. Exhibition: What’s the Difference?

You just went to an art exhibit. Or was it an exhibition?

DJ Khaled, Amal Clooney, and Rami Malek.

25 Arabic Names You’re Probably Mispronouncing

Loosen up your jaws, lift up those eyebrows, and throw a little phlegm behind it: These 25 common Arabic names are constantly mispronounced.

This list is your Annie Oakley to fitting in at the carnival.

16 Excellent Bits of Carnival Slang to Add to Your Vocabulary

Start slipping these terms into conversation and watch as your friends bally about how great talking to you is.

The origins of the 1940s phrase 'cooking with gas' aren't clear-cut.

18 Gobbledygook-Free 1940s Slang Terms

If you want to know what it was like to strike up a casual conversation in this mid-20th-century decade, we’re going to tell it like it is—with a list of the words and phrases any eager beaver would know well. Ready to find out what’s buzzin’, cousin?

Try out some of these words in your next Scrabble game.

11 Words That Will Win You Any Game of Scrabble

Mind your Zs and Qs on National Scrabble Day. And it wouldn't hurt to know your anti-inflammatories.

How Are ‘Scrabble’ Letter Points Decided?

How did ‘Scrabble’'s makers decide how many points each letter was worth? It started with an unemployed architect during the Great Depression, and it has stayed the same ever since.

The inventor of Scrabble was inspired by 'The Raven' author.

How Edgar Allan Poe Inspired ‘Scrabble’

The game wouldn't exist if not for a minor plot point in a nearly two-century-old story.

25 Double-Letter Scrabble Words to Have in Your Back Pocket

Add these double-letter words to your player vocabulary to take advantage of the multiples on your tile rack.

25 Words That Don’t Mean What You Think They Do

You can flout these rules, but you can't flaunt them.

Flip through the dictionary and you'll find all sorts of words hiding their bodily origins.

10 Body Parts Hiding in the Dictionary

Some of our favorite words come from body parts. Scratch your 'caput' over the origins of these anatomically derived terms.

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