Dictionary.com’s United States of Diversity series by Taneesh Khera In 2019, the United Nations is raising awareness about the alarming loss of many of the world’s languages through its International Year of Indigenous Languages. In honor of that initiative, we are shining the spotlight on the languages of the Sioux, and the growing movement to preserve and reinvigorate these rich but endangered tongues. Where did …
The terms we use to refer to other people—and ourselves—can communicate a lot about identity, and sometimes even a single letter can make a big difference. Perhaps you know the words Latino and Latina. But have you encountered Latinx or Latine? Even if you have, you might still be confused about why they’re used and whether there’s a difference. In this article, we’ll explain the …
“See Spot. See Spot run. Run, Spot, run!” It’s easy to think children’s book authors always minimize the difficulty of vocabulary words to suit their young audiences. That’s certainly the case for easy-reader board books, like the classic See Spot Run, a go-to for youngest readers. But some authors of classic children’s literature refuse to simplify their language for their readers, no matter the age. …
Depending on where you live, Christmas comes at a time of year that is cold, dark, and not very pleasant. What makes it all bearable, though, is that you can get together with friends and family to share meals, exchange gifts, and just hang out. But, what happens when the conversation starts to run dry? Don’t fret, we put together a list of some of …
As the saying goes, there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. This saying dates all the way back to 1716, and the word tax is even older than that. Tax, meaning “a sum of money demanded by a government,” comes from the Latin taxare, meaning “censure, charge, tax with a fault,” and dates to around the 1200s. For centuries, taxes have been …
Whether you sport a casual mustache or meticulously groom your facial forestry, you likely know that certain types of facial hair have names. Terms like sideburns, goatee, and handlebar mustache are probably familiar to you and may even describe something on your face. But there are many more types of facial hair than that. To celebrate both words and whiskers, we combed through the bristly …
Legally, to trademark something means to make it so that only one company can make money off of something with that name. You might not realize it, but many of the seemingly generic words we use all of the time are or were registered trademarks. This is often a problem for companies who want to avoid their lucrative trademarks being killed by “genericide,” meaning they …
by Rory Gory No matter your sexual orientation or gender identity, all people have something in common. There are many things in life that we can choose or change, such as how we decide to express ourselves, the relationships we commit to, or the dreams we pursue. And then there are things in life that happen to us whether or not we want them to: …
Puerto Rican songwriter Bad Bunny loves to meld genres—reggaetón blended with a little pop here, punk and rock there, and also soul. In a way, his music perfectly encapsulates Caribbean and Latin American music and its history of weaving and fusing together different musical styles that come together for a highly danceable mix. From reggaetón to the cha-cha-cha to the “singing newspapers” known as plena, Caribbean and …
So, you’re wondering why Beyoncé’s Renaissance album has proved to be so irresistible and has now inspired a record-breaking tour—declared the highest grossing for a female artist—in 2023. Well, we’ve got 15 words that help tell that story. The album, released in 2022, samples and incorporates elements of a highly danceable musical genre known as house. Renaissance in particular references and pays homage to the Black …
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 …
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. One reason is because of their catchy, memorable names. That being said, the origins of the names of many classics range from simple to odd to downright mysterious. We decided to dive …
