slang

If you’ve ever been jinxed into owing someone a soda, you should know why.

Brain rot can be a consequence of too much TikTok.

The phrase for being terminally online is not flattering, but it is Oxford’s Word of the Year.

There are plenty of colorful words out there for ‘villain.’

Use these obscure terms to describe (or diss) the bad guy in your life.

The popular nursery rhyme may have emerged in the 14th century—and it didn’t have anything to do with bathing.

Mary Janes have an early-20th-century comic strip to thank for their name.

Be honest—how many words did you already know?

Are all these new slang terms confusing you? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

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

You have Tinseltown to thank for phrases like ‘cut to the chase’ and ‘jump the shark.’

From rabbits to butterflies, learn the surprising origins of these animal names.

This spooky season, be able to tell your bugaboos from your tommyknockers.

Shoppers have been referring to Target as ‘tar-jay’ for over 60 years.

From ‘six-foot bungalow’ to ‘pine overcoat,’ there have been some creative euphemisms for coffins over the ages—and some terms that were surprisingly (and uncomfortably) direct.

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

Need another word for ‘moist’ (or some other gross word)? We’ve got you.

Do you know all of the abbreviations on this list?

See which text abbreviations have people turning to Google.

You know to say, “I’ve got dibs!” but what if someone else says, “I wackie that doughnut,” or “Let's go snacks on it”? You might lose out on some chocolatey goodness. Be prepared by bulking up your dibs vocabulary.

This episode of The List Show is all about why we say what we say—from the poem that gave us ‘albatross around your neck’ to the hands that gave us ‘hands down.’

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

Here are a few words for ignorant people you might want to add to your lexicon, from ‘wantwit’ to ‘dorkmunder’ to ‘ninnyhammer.’

The meaning behind the money.

Olympic sports like volleyball have their own delicious slang.

Here are 20 fun bits of Olympics slang, from diving’s ‘bingo’ to gymnastics’ ‘twisties.’

The song may not actually have much to do with a weasel at all.

You may think you know the words to “Pop! Goes the Weasel.” The tune is everywhere from jack-in-the-box toys to Data and Riker’s first encounter in ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’. But it may not even be about a weasel at all.

The expression—which can be used for all things adorable—dates back to the early 20th century.

Italian is the language of love—and delightfully creative insults.

Why Do We Say “Jinx”?

‘Brain Rot’ Is the Word of 2024, According to Oxford

11 Rare Old Words for the Heinous and Villainous

The Surprisingly Lewd Origins of the “Rub-a-Dub-Dub” Nursery Rhyme

How Did Mary Jane Shoes Get Their Name?

The 10 Most-Searched Slang Terms in 2024

Definition Detective Quiz #12

6 Words and Phrases Brought to You by Hollywood

The Surprising Origins of 25 Animal Names

17 Scary Sayings for ‘Ghost’ From Across the United States

‘B Dubs’: 10 Slang Terms for Popular Brand Names

14 Old Slang Terms for Coffins

Definition Detective Quiz #5

8 Words People Really Hate (And What to Say Instead)

The 20 Most-Googled Text Abbreviations

15 Different Ways to Call “Dibs” Across the United States

The Forgotten Sources of 12 Phrases

Definition Detective Quiz #3

20 Old Words for Ignorant People

Why Do We Say “Cold, Hard Cash”?

20 Colorful Slang Terms from Olympic Sports

‘Pop! Goes the Weasel’: The Real Meaning Behind the Nursery Rhyme

Why Do We Say Things Are “Cute as a Button”?

15 Impressive Italian Insults and Curses