It’s in human nature to tell stories and in many ways, our stories—our mythologies—work their way into every aspect of our daily lives, from meme culture to the language we speak. You may be familiar with some of the words derived from the names of Greek and Roman gods and characters (herculean, echo, narcissist, to name a few). But some of the words with similar …
If you aren’t from the United Kingdom, you may be confused by the different words used to refer to money there, including pound and quid. In this article, we’ll look at the monetary definitions of the words pound and quid, explain the different contexts in which they’re used, and give examples of how they’re used in everyday speech. In the context of money, the word …
Hocus pocus, abracadabra, alakazam! These are the words we invoke when magic is at work—even if it might just be a card trick at home. While a few of these words and phrases have wholly crossed over into entertainment magic or originated there from the start (e.g., presto change-o), some of these words are rooted in older commands that called upon higher powers to influence …
If you sail off the coast of northwestern Europe and keep to the east of Ireland, you’ll find yourself in a country rich with history and royal magnificence. But what, exactly, is this country called? England? The United Kingdom? Great Britain? Or just Britain? Are any of these names correct? Are all of them? In this article, we’ll take a tour of the British Isles …
As the nation’s highest court, the US Supreme Court takes on some of the most complex—and often the most controversial—cases. Often adding to the complexity and confusion around the cases and rulings themselves are the formal legal terms used in the justices’ written decisions—and in the analysis of them. writ of certiorari A writ of certiorari, often shortened to just certiorari, is a demand from …
Do you know all of your colors? No, we aren’t just talking about red and green. We mean color words like quercitron, puce, and dragon’s blood. There are so many unique and fascinating words that describe shades of color in our language. If you stop at the basics, you might just miss out on some of the most vivid and historically interesting shades that exist. …
Proceed and precede are nearly identical in both spelling and pronunciation—hence the common confusion around the two words. But their meanings are quite different. One of these words looks ahead and goes forward, while the other reflects on the past and references what has come before. But which one is which? And what about preceed? In this article, we’ll proceed to explain the differences between …
We know all too well that the internet isn’t all fun memes and hamster videos. The darker side of online life is home to trolls, spammers, and many varieties of toxic behavior, spanning from tactics intended to harass one person to nefarious attempts to spread harmful disinformation as widely as possible. For many of the practices that play out exclusively online, specialized terms have emerged, …
Ahoy, me hearties! A true seadog worth their salt would never let aboard a landlubber who calls their ship a boat. That kind of mixup is the talk that gets you walking the plank! In this article, we’ll sail the seven seas of nautical knowledge to define the difference between the words ship and boat, explain what they refer to in technical and casual use, …
Sometimes, we want a more efficient way to say that someone or something is “on the way” or hasn’t yet reached the destination. To do that, we use the phrase en route. Or is it in route? Or maybe on route? In this article, join us on this journey to find out the correct spelling of the phrase and the reasons why it’s sometimes confused …
As we enter the summer, you might be planning a big trip to have some fun during your summer vacation. If you want to gallivant across the globe, there’s no shortage of beautiful places full of interesting history to explore. And it’s worth noting (because we’re Dictionary.com, after all) many cities around the world have fascinating stories about where their names came from. Before you …
Whether you were born with a stick in hand or only watch ice hockey during the battle for the Stanley Cup, there are plenty of terms to know during a game of hockey. You’ve likely heard of a slapshot, but can you define a gongshow? Do you know … What do you call a particularly tough goal? Who’s the duster in the game? Why is …