It’s likely no surprise that around here, we delight in animals with interesting names—from zedonk to beefalo. One of the few creatures that can top the zedonk for linguistic and zoological oddness is the narwhal. If you’ve ever seen a creature that looks like a whale with a unicorn horn, you might imagine it’s been Photoshopped. But that’s not fiction—that’s a narwhal. Where did the …
Anyone who has ever seen their dog hop to attention when they used the word “treat” knows that dogs obviously understand the same words as humans. But is it accurate to say that animals use language? Man’s best friend is hardly the only animal capable of amazing humans with communication skills. Extensive studies using gestural communication (sign language) explore the cognitive potential in the great apes. …
Caliphate is a word that’s often trending due to its use—right or wrong—in the media. As some scholars have described it, it’s a word “loaded like no other” and often used to represent the Muslim world. Dictionary.com exists to help you learn about words. Our mission is to make sure you have the right word at the right time, and the purpose here is to provide accurate …
In 1999, two graphic designers from Indianapolis raised a stir when they tried to discourage the use of Comic Sans MS, the silly-looking font designed by Vincent Connare and modeled after the text in American comic books. The designers observed that a font is the orthographic (written) equivalent of one’s tone of voice, and that Comic Sans was essentially like a squeaky-helium voice but in …
Are you passionate about Sudoku? The number puzzle is so popular that its origin and the meaning of its name deserve some attention. (Don’t confuse the word “sudoku” with “sodoku,” which is a bacterial zoonotic disease known as “rat-bite fever.” Basically, sodoku has more in common with the Ebola virus than any puzzle game.) Sudoku is similar to types of European puzzles that were played in
There are many reasons to be thankful for the benefits of modern living: antibiotics, airplanes, velcro …. Another subtle but essential item is our calendar. It may have some frustrating moments, but consider how months used to work. Take heed of Mercedonius In the days of the Roman calendar, an intercalary month was added in leap years and a few other times as well. This …
You read the blurb on the back of a book to figure out if you want to shell out the extra bucks for the hardcover. You glance at the blurb on a DVD before deciding if that film is the one to enjoy that evening. A good blurb provides a short summary or praise of a creative work, but it doesn’t give anything away. It whets …
For over two decades, the puzzle video game Tetris has provided countless hours of procrastination and enjoyment for players all over the globe. But now, researchers believe that Tetris might have a new purpose. They think that the game may help to prevent the flashbacks that occur in the early stages of post-traumatic stress disorder. While the research is fascinating, let’s turn our attention to
Possum and opossum are two words that many people think are synonyms or alternate spellings of the same word. While there is some truth to that, these words can actually be used to refer to different animals. In this article, we will explain exactly what a possum and an opossum is and the difference between how the words possum and opossum are used in zoology. …
Have you heard the story about a giant green blob discovered in a remote section of the universe? An intergalactic blob in and of itself isn’t an appropriate topic for a dictionary website, even if the blob has been shown to move and change color. The reason you are reading about this on Dictionary.com is the mouthful of a name: Hanny’s Voorwerp. The second word is pronounced “FOR-verp.” What …
What is vitriol? Vitriol is an old-fashioned name for one of the most dangerous chemicals you can find: sulfuric acid. This substance is incredibly corrosive, meaning it eats away other substances due to chemical reactions. When sulfuric acid meets water, it produces an exothermic reaction, meaning the chemical reaction that occurs when a chemical mixes with water produces heat. Reactions between the two are responsible …
You’re texting, or reading comments on a blog. Suddenly your eyes go bananas. Someone has used a combination of strange numbers and symbols to spell out words, but in an awkward, semi-coherent manner. This bizarre take on the English alphabet began in the early days of the Internet and jumped over to the world of SMS (short message service, the common system used for sending …