Words

A speech bubble with the word “extenuating” in it

Think about it: have you ever heard someone say they had “extenuating errands”? These eight words are only used in a very specific context.

A speech bubble with the word “homely” in it

Think twice before responding if someone calls you one of these words.

Go with ‘goozlum’ instead of ‘gravy’ this Thanksgiving.

A smiley face balloon next to a speech bubble of the phrase “No worries!”

The history behind “no worries” and why the phrase became a favorite for millennials and Gen Z.

No, “gaudy” did not come from a famous architect with a similar-sounding name.

You might’ve heard it from your children or as Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year.

You wouldn’t think twice about these everyday habits and activities, but they weren’t always the norm.

Though widely shared on the internet and other places, these popular quotes weren’t actually spoken by who you might think they were.

A thought bubble of someone wondering what “fascism” means

Americans were interested in finding out definitions for words in political science, psychology, and science, among other topics.

The answer makes sense—once you get into some linguistic history.

This admittedly is probably not the No. 1 question on your mind—but we answer it anyways.

A woman on her phone in the streets of Paris

You know "LOL" and "FML," but what about other social media and text abbreviations? Here are the 10 that stump people the most.

No one did it like The Bard, so it’s no surprise that some myths about him and his writing have seeped into our culture over time. Let’s debunk some of the biggest ones.

The words these authors have come up with to create their worlds have transcended fiction.

The phrase has a surprisingly long, convoluted history.

It's time to level with you on why we refer to floors as narrative spaces.

Wednesday is viewed as the halfway point to the weekend.

The phrase may seem recent, but it’s been around for a surprisingly long time.

With no word for ‘please,’ how do you keep it civil when traveling in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Finland?

Jefferson’s tale of an encounter with a stranger sparked a saying that became pretty popular in the 19th century.

A little piglet named Billy Ray might have had something to do with it.

Start sprinkling bumfuzzle, taradiddle, and collywobbles into everyday conversation—but maybe let quomodocunquizing rest in obsolescent peace where it belongs.