Vocabulary
Definition of SHOWRUNNER
But maybe <i>showrunners</i> David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who have been willing to race from plot point to plot point in Season 7, have something up their …
D. B. WeissTrending: Kim Jong Un: Trump A 'Dotard'
<i>Dotard</i> rose dramatically in lookups on September 21st, 2017, after Kim Jong Un referred to Donald Trump by this uncomplimentary term.<p>"I am now …
Kim Jong-unLet's Talk 'Tea'
If you're on the Internet at all, you've likely seen the meme of Kermit the Frog sipping a cup of tea. In fact, it's so popular that it has its own …
Kermit the FrogDefinition of SHOFAR
As many as 10,000 people, most of them young, waited patiently in the breezy cold the last Monday in April for the blare of the <i>shofar</i> to signal the …
PhotojournalismAdorable Little Girl Can't Say Ice Cream So She Makes Up a New Word For It
A father captured footage of his adorable little daughter, named Delta, while he repeatedly tried to get her to say ice cream. She couldn’t say the …
Dessert'Immune to' or 'Immune from'?
When it comes to language, no one is immune to making mistakes, and unfortunately, when we make mistakes, none of us are immune from criticism.<p>And …
George Bernard ShawWelcome to the New Words
We've been at it again: the Merriam-Webster.com dictionary has gotten bigger, this time by over 250 new words and definitions. These terms have shown …
LanguageWhat's Going On With 'Nonplussed'?
Prefixes are treacherous little beasts. Just when you think you've come to an understanding, prefixes such as <i>in</i>- will come along and carry meanings …
LanguageDefinition of PONCHO
Gabrielle's wearing: Leah Shlaer bikini ($125; leahshlaer.com.com) and Beach Bunny <i>poncho</i> ($110; beachbunnyswimwear.com).<p>Junior 2nd in Division: …
“Get a Wiggle On” – Here's a List of Top 10 Slang Words of the 1920s
The 1920s was the first generation when the younger crowd became more in line with the times than the older generation, the flapper subculture was on …
Definition of ENFILADE
On the main floor, the rooms flow into one another through a series of <i>enfilade</i> doorways, but upstairs, the bedrooms are connected by hallways.<p>Then on …
Houses9 Slang Words With Academic Origins
We hope you haven't had too much experience with <i>flunk</i>, which first appeared as U.S. college slang in the early 19th century with the nonacademic …
Language8 Foods Named After Real People
<b>Definition</b> - a tossed salad made typically with chopped chicken or turkey, tomatoes, bacon, hard-boiled eggs, blue cheese, and lettuce and dressed …
Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!: Weekly Challenge
https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-games/challenging-vocab-2<p>No tricks, just difficult words.<p>article
QuizzesTrending: 'Carceral' Spikes Amid Twitter Backlash
<i>Carceral</i> was among our top lookups on September 12th, 2017, after journalist Sarah Jaffe used the word in a tweet which drew widespread …
Sonia SotomayorDefinition of HERESY
PURGING IDOLATRY IS destroyed other Islamic sites in the name of its fanatical drive to purge anything that in its eyes smacked of idolatry and …
Is It 'Damp Down' or 'Tamp Down'?
English is full of tricky near homophones, and some love nothing more than to catch others using them incorrectly. But since this <i>is</i> English we're …
GardeningWhy You Should Drop 'Kind of' and 'Sort of' From Your Vocabulary
How many times have you heard something like this before: “I sort of agree” or “I just kind of wish you had asked me before making that decision.” …
LanguageWhat About 'Whataboutism?'
Some of the terms we use to describe political rhetoric are as old as politics itself (see <i>ad hominem</i> attacks, or such devices as <i>synecdoche</i>, <i>metonymy</i>, …
PhotojournalismIs 'Could Of' an Accepted Form of 'Could Have'?
Pop quiz! What part of speech is the word <i>of</i>? (Slight pause while we wait for the reader to click on the link provided in the earlier sentence, or to …
LanguageDefinition of PSYOPS
Seen and Heard<p>What made you want to look up <i>psyops</i>? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).<p>Love words? Need even …
Definition of PLAYA
About 12 miles east of Gerlach is the entry to the desert <i>playa</i>, where the pavement ends and the dust begins.<p>The <i>playa</i> needs to be firm enough for …
TravelHow to Develop and Host a School-Wide Vocabulary Initiative
Our school is a Title 1, urban elementary school of 390 students just north of Boston. Inspired by the research of Marzano, Marulis and Neuman who …
EducationDefinition of CONFRERE
According to this analysis, Murray and his <i>confreres</i> can qualify as charlatans at best, racists at worst, and likely something in between.<p>The audience …
LanguageWhat's a 'Clapback'?
As more of life moves online, we've developed new vocabulary to refer to online interactions, good and bad. One word that's gaining traction is</i> …
Rap & Hip-HopIs 'School' Ever Properly a Verb?
Every year the month of September brings with it a return to school and a number of difficult to answer questions. Among these are 'should I wear my …
LanguageDefinition of SOI-DISANT
Learn More about <i>soi–disant</i><p>Seen and Heard<p>What made you want to look up <i>soi–disant</i>? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if …
Famous by Design: 'Starchitect'
If we were to make a taxonomy of portmanteau words, we would see that they naturally fall into several categories. Some—like <i>smog</i> and <i>electrocute</i>—have …
ArchitectureIt's the Little Things
It is a pity that, by the fault of a narrow education, he should have so completely immolated himself to that one idea of his, especially as the …
LanguageTrending: Sartorial
When:<p>Lookups spiked on August 29, 2014.<p>Why:<p>President Obama addressed turmoil in the Middle East and Ukraine in an end-of-summer news conference, but …