11 Words You Might Not Know Are Portmanteaux
Some words, like ‘motel,’ ‘brunch,’ and ‘sitcom,’ are obvious portmanteaux. But the portmanteaux on this list are undercover.
Some words, like ‘motel,’ ‘brunch,’ and ‘sitcom,’ are obvious portmanteaux. But the portmanteaux on this list are undercover.
As with many words, we have Latin to thank.
This common phrase is often used during times of political uncertainty, and has even been described as an ancient Chinese curse. History says otherwise, though.
Are all these new slang terms confusing you? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Some state name origins are obvious—but others pose an etymological mystery.
We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?
If linguistics is any indicator, it would appear that everybody in the spirit realm speaks Scots English.
The trends range from “fast fashion” to “baby names, literally” and beyond.
We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?
One theory suggests that we call liquor “spirits” because of alcohol’s association with one spirit in particular: the Holy Spirit. But there are other possible origins.
The heavy-duty tool is said to be the work of a man named Moncke. Or was it Moncay?
It’s as easy as filling in the blanks—or not so easy, as the case may be. Can you solve the puzzle?
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.’
Plus, a simple trick that will help you identify most true cases of the passive voice. (Hint: It involves zombies.)
Would a scarecrow by any other name scare as many crows?
The ’90s catchphrase was made famous by ‘Seinfeld,’ but Jerry and company didn’t coin it.
Can you figure out what the two missing letters are and type in the correct word?
From rabbits to butterflies, learn the surprising origins of these animal names.
We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?
There are lots of UK place names—and plenty of surprises in store.
From phrasal verbs to loanwords, here's how English speakers repeat themselves without realizing it.
Both are places where we bury the dearly departed, and the words are often used interchangeably. But that hasn’t always been the case.
Its political legacy began during the Iran hostage crisis, but other kinds of October surprises had been happening for decades.