LANGUAGE

16 Words that Describe Themselves

Word is a word. Noun is a noun. Autological words are a self-centered, self-referential bunch.

More people use American Sign Language than you may think.

This Smart Ring Translates Sign Language in Real Time

Cornell’s SpellRing could change the ASL translation game.

Inside ‘Inside Baseball’: How America’s Pastime Invented a Handy Metaphor

In the 19th century, 'inside baseball' only had one meaning—here's how it came to be.

Definition Detective Quiz #30

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

You might be familiar with a few of these.

From Y’all To Youse: 8 English Ways to Make ‘You’ Plural

Lots of languages have distinct plural forms for ‘you.’ Wouldn’t it be useful if English had one too? Spoiler alert: It does. Several, in fact.

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.

6 Common Words You Might Not Know Are Irish

There is a whole slew of everyday words in English that have origins in Irish and Gaelic.

Everybody gets to be Irish after they smooch this stone.

Where Does the Phrase ‘Gift of Gab’ Come From?

This St. Patrick’s Day, discover the origins of this old Irish idiom and how it all ties back to the Blarney Stone in Ireland.

It’s not just women who will find these terms useful.

24 Words From Laádan, a Language Invented to Express a Woman’s Point of View

‘Radíidin’ means “a time allegedly a holiday but actually so much a burden because of work and preparations that it is a dreaded occasion.” ‘Thehena’ is a word for “Joy despite negative circumstances.”

Why Female Dogs Are Called “B*tches”—And How the Word Became an Insult to Women

How did the word for a female dog become a derogatory word for women? We explain.

Believe it or not, “ASL“ means “age, sex, location“ and “as hell“ in text messages.

The 20 Most-Searched Text Abbreviations of 2025 (So Far)

If you‘re wondering what FAFO or SMH means, you aren‘t alone.

Definition Detective Quiz #29

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

Why Does ‘Boilerplate’ Mean “Standard”?

Here's a crash course on the meaning and origins of boilerplate content.

Alexander the Great (left) with his tutor, Aristotle.

5 Common Terms That Double as Logical Fallacies

The names of logical fallacies often double as common expressions—but they don't always mean the same thing.

Let's put the kibosh on pronouncing 'kibosh' incorrectly.

Can You Correctly Pronounce These Tricky Words?

Test your pronunciation of toughies like 'victuals' and 'skein.'

Definition Detective Quiz #28

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

Some of these mistakes were pretty costly.

11 of the Most Expensive Typos in History

From the NASA mistake that made an interplanetary rocket explode to the bible with a very naughty misprint, these typos are an ode to proofreaders.

Where Did the Expression ‘Gung Ho’ Come From?

We get this byword for enthusiasm from an officer in the Marines named Evans Fordyce Carlson.

Why Is Coffee Called a “Cup of Joe”?

There are many slang terms for coffee, but where does a “cup of joe“ come from? There are a few theories.

Why Do We Call Someone a “One-Trick Pony”?

Maligning ponies has become a go-to way to dismiss someone. How did that happen?

March’s weather is notoriously volatile.

Why Do We Say March ‘Comes In Like a Lion, Goes Out Like a Lamb’?

It’s one of the most common weather idioms. But what do lions and lambs even have to do with the month of March?

Definition Detective Quiz #27

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

How Did Latin America Get Its Name?

Latin isn’t widely spoken in Latin America, so why is it called that?

Can You Figure Out When the Word First Appeared in Print?

Some words have been around longer than you think.

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