Words

The origins and history of the word ‘cakewalk’ may make you want to reconsider using it.

From ‘cakewalk’ to ‘no can do,’ the origins of these common idioms and sayings are surprisingly dark.

The words ‘fall’ and ‘autumn’ appeared around the same time in Great Britain, but only one of the seasonal names is still used there today.

Incorporate these words into your conversations this fall.

Try spicing your fall with a few of these rustic charmers, drawn from the pages of Washington Irving.

“The Drinkers Dictionary,” published by Franklin in the ‘Pennsylvania Gazette’ in January 1737, features terms like ‘nimptopsical’ and ‘cherubimical’ as synonyms for ‘drunk.’

Whatever you do, don’t mess up the meanings of ‘punter.’

You’ll be chuffed after you read this peng British slang list, with bare terms that will keep you from looking like a pillock.

Here are all the new jawns in the dictionary.

Non-Philadelphians can finally look up the meaning of ‘jawn’ in the dictionary.

Stick these terms in your cauldron and pass them around your coven.

“Who, me?” This goat, hearing about the word ‘scapegoat.’

History is filled with figures who were single-handedly—yet often undeservedly—held responsible for epic societal failures. But what do goats have to do with it?

We don’t know how these Victorian slang terms ever fell out of fashion, but we propose bringing them back, as soon as possible.

Technically this exact phrasing wasn't in play until the 20th century.

Many bad words come and go, but these six have withstood the tests of time. Here’s how they came to be.

These sentences are sure to make you scratch your head.

There are a dozen historical figures’ names hidden in the word search—the first three you spot are coming to your next dinner party.

First, you have to understand the difference between England and Britain (and the UK, while we’re at it).

TV has slowly eased restrictions on strong language.

Whether scripted or spontaneous, expletives have been making their way on to the air for decades.

(Left to right) Oscar Isaac, Camila Cabello, and Gael García Bernal.

Here’s how to avoid bungling 20 commonly mispronounced Spanish names.

If you frequently misspell these words, you’re not alone.

Don’t get embarrassed if you can’t spell ‘embarrass.’ It’s apparently—not ‘apparantly’—a pretty common error.

The way some words are spelled is downright bizarre.

Ever wonder why there’s a ‘k’ in ‘knead,’ or a ‘d’ in ‘Wednesday’? While there isn’t always a good reason for why some English words are spelled the way they are, there are reasons.

‘Less’ versus ‘fewer’ is pretty straightforward. ‘Less than’ vs. ‘fewer than’ is slightly less so. Here’s how to get it right every time.

If you've ever felt that English could use a couple more tenses to truly capture the nuances of the past, present, and future, this exploration of languages that have taken verb tenses to fascinating new heights is for you.