Mental Floss

WORDS

There's more than one way to stand out.

Looking for inspiration? Discover the rarest baby names in the United States according to Go Au Pair, from Arizona’s Noname to Maine’s Winner.

Rudie Obias


Grab your magnifying glass.

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

Ellen Gutoskey






Grab your magnifying glass.

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

Ellen Gutoskey








Grab your magnifying glass.

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

Ellen Gutoskey




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

Sophie Lau


Grab your magnifying glass.

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

Ellen Gutoskey


The far-fetched plots were designed to keep viewers wanting more.

How did daytime dramas like “Guiding Light” and “General Hospital” become known as “soap operas”? It's all thanks to commercials.

Marla Mackoul