During the holidays, kids hope to receive that one toy they have been dreaming of all year. Popular toys come and go, but some of them are still fondly remembered by multiple generations. When naming a toy, it is important to pick something catchy and memorable so that kids will know that yours is the best. That being said, the origins of the names of …
As anyone who is familiar with Christian holidays knows, winter is jam-packed with important observances. Christmas is well known, but there are many occasions with great religious significance leading up to spring that are less familiar to many: Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, and Lent. In the simplest sense, all of these days are lead-ins to the central Christian festival of Easter. Some are …
By Laura Vismara The words trauma and traumatized have been consistently in the spotlight for the last two decades, rapidly surging to become commonplace and reaching new peaks of popularity in recent years, according to internet search trends. Propelled by major world events that rightfully fall under the label of traumatic—pandemics, wars, and episodes of violence to name a few—trauma has become epidemic. As we …
Have you ever wandered the recesses of the deep web and dark web? Or have you simply wondered what these expressions mean? These two terms are just as mysterious as they sound, but they’re not synonyms, despite how similar they may seem at first glance. There’s a lot of confusion out there about how to distinguish between these two terms, which both define hidden aspects of the Internet. …
A flag is a sign of community and belonging, and no flags are as eye-catching as the rainbow of banners representing Pride and all of its aspects and identities. The classic ROYGBV flag may be the most well-known, but it is not the only one that represents members of the LGBTQIA+ community. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the most prominent Pride flags, their …
Aesthetics are having a moment like never before. With the rise of TikTok and Gen Z internet culture has also come a shift in the way people express themselves and their interests. Microtrends, or short-lived viral trends, reign supreme, and many of them naturally divide into certain categories of popular fashion, accessories, and decor known as aesthetics. The 2023 Barbie movie is one major pop …
by Heather Bonikowski, Lexicographer, and John Kelly, Managing Editor The latest update to Dictionary.com mirrors, as ever, the world around us. It reflects the evolving landscape—and language—of COVID-19, racial reckoning, social struggles, and the unstoppable charge of technological change. But it also reveals our boundless creativity and ingenuity. Slang and pop culture have yielded a host of terms and expressions in this update—and some welcome …
![A dark blue background with an upside-down image of a man wearing virtual reality goggles. Imposed on the background is a list of words in white outline: UAP, parklet, memeify, new words [in bold white letters], metaverse, throuple, wabi-sabi](https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/20220325_newWords_800x800-380x380.png)
by Nick Norlen, Research Editor, and Heather Bonikowski, Lexicographer The latest update to Dictionary.com reflects our mission to help make sense of the world through words. Of the hundreds of newly added terms, some define our times, notably those related to the ongoing COVID pandemic and climate emergency. Other updates cover important changes in how we talk about a vast range of topics, including disability, …
If you have to ask what it means to be cool, well, you probably aren’t cool. What is cool, though, is just how many slang words we’ve used over the years to talk about people and things that we think are fab, funky, fresh, groovy, fly, phat, lit, gnarly, rad, and the cat’s meow. And that is just a taste of the coolness we managed …
Have you ever wondered about the influence other languages have had on English? Let’s take a look at the many ways Spanish has impacted the English language. It’s not surprising that English has a lot of Spanish in it: Hispanic people are the largest ethnic minority in the US. And, in 1848, Mexico was compelled to cede approximately 50% of its original territory to the …
As you likely know, English is spoken all over the world. At the same time, there are many different types of English, such as American English, British English, and Australian English. Regardless of whether you live in Chicago, London, Toronto, or Sydney, many English words exist everywhere with the same meaning. However, there are quite a few words used by Americans and Canadians that aren’t …
According to the World Health Organization’s international studies, an estimated 1 in 270 people has autism spectrum disorder. This prevalence has inspired the declaration of April as Autism Awareness Month or Autism Acceptance Month. The United Nations also observes April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. With this recognition comes the expectation that people will be inspired to learn more and share information about autism spectrum disorder, …