Words

We dig down to the root of the issue.

This stickler doesn’t like how people are using the word ‘phenomenal.’

Not even the strictest sticklers seem to care about how we use words like ‘abhorrent’ and ‘sodden’ anymore.

Don't exact or extract revenge if you get all these wrong.

Time to find out how well you know your correct expressions from your eggcorns.

Until a few decades ago, Ukraine was almost always referred to as 'the Ukraine'. Then people started dropping the definite article, and now you almost never see it. Here's why.

Besides Connections, The New York Times has The Crossword and The Mini Crossword.

Learn which Connections puzzles had players searching for hints most often in 2024.

These mistakes show that little kids know a lot more about the rules than we think.

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

Where did this weather-related idiom come from?

Where did this curious expression come from, and what’s so right about rain, anyway?

The names of all three of these folks have gotten the adjective treatment.

From David Lynch to Queen Elizabeth I, these folks achieved a type of lexical immortality when their names became adjectives.

“Gaslighting“ is the most commonly searched term in the U.S.

If you’ve ever looked up the definition of “gaslighting,” you’re not alone.

The phrase dates back to the 19th century, but it took a fictional 20th century detective to take its popularity to new heights.

Flammable vs. inflammable? Regardless vs. irregardless? Here are the linguistic explanations for 10 pairs of false antonyms.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, discover the origins of the phrase ‘weak at the knees,’ including its ties to ancient Rome and even astrology.

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

It was about modernization—and also politics.

Sometimes the letter of the law has tough things to say about, well, letters.

From 'chickabiddy,' to 'tootsicums,' these terms of endearment are more evocative than any garden-variety 'babe.'

These words are the language of love (literally).

Whether it's bacteria, a city name, or a day of the week, love can be found in unexpected places—including our vocabulary.

These words are often mistaken for one another. See if you can break the cycle.

The initialism was originally a bit of shipbuilder marketing—and now there are many different kinds of ship designations.

How did we come to associate sleeping and snoring with the letter ‘Z’? The origins trace back farther than you might think but are tied to early 20th-century American comic strips.