Concave and convex are literal opposites—one involves shapes that curve inward and the other involves shapes that curve outward. The terms can be used generally, but they’re often used in technical, scientific, and geometric contexts. Lenses, such as those used in eyeglasses, magnifying glasses, binoculars, and cameras are often described as concave or convex, depending on which way they curve. In geometry, both words can …
The internet keeps on supplying us with an endless stream of trendy slang words that come from anywhere—from bizarre TikTok streams and YouTube videos featuring sentient toilets—and everywhere in between. Why are grown men called babygirl? What is the scuttlebutt on tush push and gyatt? What does it mean to be delulu? Are we doomed to a fate of enshittification? We have all of the …
The year was 1995, and Cher Horowitz inspired the nation to wear plaid. We huddled around our clunky TVs, captivated by the O.J. Simpson verdict. And Silicon Valley came alive with the Big Tech brands we still know and use today. But one event in 1995 is closest to our hearts: On May 14, Dictionary.com opened its doors (er, website). Thirty years later, we’re celebrating …
Awards season kicks off each year in November with the Emmy Awards and culminates with the Academy Awards in February. (The Tonys are a summertime outlier.) Rare talents can sometimes win all four of the major performing arts awards—an almost mythic achievement known colloquially as an EGOT: an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony. There are relatively few EGOT recipients, but they include …
“Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.” This pithy quote by famed science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein (among earlier variations) nicely frames the basic difference between climate and weather: climate refers to average, long-term conditions, while weather refers to specific, short-term conditions. Of course, it’s more complicated than that. We talk a lot about climate these days, especially in the context …
Not many side dishes can claim to be staples the world over. Of those, few are as beloved as French fries. Frites, chips, salchipapas—the list of names for fries is long, but regardless of the moniker, variations on fried pieces of potato can be found on restaurant menus on just about every continent. Now’s the time to learn a little more about the words related …
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 …
Now more than ever, there’s a firehose of slang terms flowing from TikTok vids, Twitch streams, Twitter memes, and the other outlets of the extremely online. What’s a menty b? Why are TikTokers adding -ussy to everything? What does it mean to be told to touch grass? You might be sorry you asked, but we’re going to explain it all. We’ll also provide insights into …
All brains are not the same. This is part of what the word neurodiversity is often used to express. But both the word and the concept are subject to varying use and interpretation. In this article, we’ll discuss the evolving conversations and preferences around words like neurodiversity, neurotypical, neurodivergent, and others. We’ll focus on some of the key terms you need to know to be …
Video games have come a long way over the years. They hit the scene in the 1970s with basic graphics but have morphed into sophisticated works of art that cover every genre. Throughout their evolution, we’ve been introduced to a fascinating cast of characters who star in these games. They range from lifelike personalities to strange and wonderful creatures that spring from the imaginations of …
The widespread attention on the conservatorship case involving pop star Britney Spears has a lot of people who aren’t lawyers wondering: What is a conservatorship? What does it entail? And how is a conservatorship different from guardianship? It’s difficult to provide a short answer. That’s because, in the US, conservatorships and guardianships are both governed by state law, and the specific definition varies from state …
People in the Western world debate many things, from whether cheesecake is actually a cake to which airplane seat is the best—aisle or the window? What year it is generally does not fall into the category of debated facts. However, how to refer to said year and the past years from ancient history—BC and AD or BCE and CE—does. Both sets of abbreviations have history. One …
