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1. 

   Unravel the Longest Words in the World!

   If you take a tour of the English language, you can find some unbelievably long words like antidisestablishmentarianism, pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism, and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. As long as these words are, they have got nothing on the longest words you’ll find in some of the world’s languages. If you find that hard to believe, you should know that the list you are about to read includes words like kindercarnavalsoptochtvoorbereidingswerkzaamhedenplan …

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   How Do I Use Emoji In Education?

   Some young people may find it hard to believe, but there was once a world without emoji (the plural can be either emoji or emojis—take your pick). These bright, little, expressive images didn’t come into existence until 1999, when the first ones were created by Japanese artist Shigetaka Kurita. Today, there are more than 3,000 emoji … and counting. They add a pop of personality to …

3. 

   News from August 23–August 29, 2025

   Each week, we scan the latest headlines to spot words in action. From major news stories to pop culture buzz, this feature highlights language as it’s unfolding. Stories about the power of accurate maps, the sweet scent of Michigan, and the engagement heard ’round the world all contributed to the vocabulary from this week’s news. buoy noun: a distinctively shaped and marked float anchored to …

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   How Have You Been Saying These 15 Mispronounced International City Names?

   Have you been overcome with wanderlust lately? If you’re antsy to travel or are already planning a trip to a faraway locale, you might want to take a moment to consider the name of your destination. It’s possible that you may not even know how to pronounce the name of this city! As it turns out, even the most well-known cities around the globe can …

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   16 Words From The 2010s So Lit We Should Bring Them Back

   The 2010s were the era of Instagram, Beyonce’s Lemonade album, and arguing about whether a viral photo showed a blue dress or a white one. The decade may not seem like that long ago, but a lot has changed since then, including many parts of our language. Vocabulary evolves quickly, especially when you’re talking about the words associated with slang and pop culture. Take yeet, …

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   Words To Use To Explain Sex To Your Kids

   Salt-N-Pepa would approve of this list. But even if their song is stuck in your head (you know you’re singing “Let’s talk about sex!” now) actually talking about sex is anything but easy. It’s overwhelming to have “the talk” with your kids, which is why experts suggest having an ongoing conversation on the topics of sex, consent, and reproduction as they grow instead of having …

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   What Were The Most Searched Words In The Beginning Of 2019?

   We’re only a quarter of the way through 2019, but already we’ve seen some significant trends in searches on Dictionary.com. Politics, as ever, has propelled many of the lookups, but that’s not the only driver. Sneak peek: Top terms range from pad thai to deep space. Here are the words setting the search trends through March 2019: 1. Exonerate Our top lookup in early 2019 …

8. 

   Tick, Tock: What Is The “Doomsday Clock”?

   Doomsday is one of those evocative words that paint a very vivid picture. We define doomsday: “the day of the Last Judgment, at the end of the world; nuclear destruction of the world; given to or marked by forebodings or predictions of impending calamity; especially concerned with or predicting future universal destruction.” As you can see, it’s about as bottom-line as it can get. Other words associated …

9. 

   Dictionary.com Dad Joke Contest: Why Did The Dictionary Cross The Road?

   Q: What do you get when you combine Dictionary.com with a Dad Joke Contest?  A: 3,500 submissions and 5,200 votes, apparently!  For our Dad Joke Contest, we gave you a classic setup with a twist—“Why did the dictionary cross the road?”—and asked you to submit the corniest, punniest, dad-jokiest punch line you could muster. Dads and non-dads delivered big time—submitting more than 3,500 entries!  After …

10. 

    What Does Freedom Of Speech Mean?

    Which amendment gives us freedom of speech? Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. —First Amendment to the Constitution We Americans love to refer to the First …

11. 

    What Is The Difference Between “Equality” And “Equity”?

    Children are often concerned with issues of fairness: who has more, who was first, and who is best. That’s not fair, they clamor at the first hint of any sort of inequality. Of course, some concepts related to equality can be difficult for children to grasp—but many of these concepts continue to pose thorny problems for us as adults making and enforcing policies and laws. …

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    Do You Know What These Gen Z Slang Terms Mean—And Where They Really Come From?

    Language is constantly evolving, but there’s one type of language that so often changes even faster than the rest: slang. Every generation has its own unique slang words, and these terms seem to spring up faster than many people can keep up with. The popularity of TikTok and other social media trends has only made it easier for new slang to take hold, and if …