WORDS

The duffel is perfect for weekend trips or cocaine smuggling. But why is it called a duffel?

Any early warning sign can be a canary in a coal mine. But the original meaning was more specific.

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

The origin of the word ‘Easter’ is linked to the ancient pagan goddess Ostara. But is she actually ancient?

This word has taken a long linguistic journey to get to where it is today.

‘Toll,’ ‘information,’ and other legal terms you use all the time—just not the way lawyers do.

The lyric “Vamos a la playa, todos con sombrero / El viento radiactivo, despeina los cabellos” translates to “Let’s go to the beach, everyone in a sombrero / The radioactive wind, messes up the hair.”

Military slang grew by leaps and bounds during the Vietnam War. Here are some terms worth knowing.

Hearing the phrase ‘souls on board’ usually portends bad news. Why do we use it?

The Vietnamese word ‘cột sống’ technically means “spine”—but to the country’s Gen Zers, it’s slang for something else entirely.

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

Tired of Wordle? Give these word games a try.