![List of words in outlined font, with central word in bold teal font, on light teal background: “dwarfism, dwarf, little people, little person [in bold], people of short stature, short statured people"](https://www.dictionary.com/e/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/20220510_littlePerson_800x800-380x380.png)
Most people are familiar with the use of the term little people in reference to people who have dwarfism—people whose short stature is the result of a medical or genetic condition. But it’s not the only term. In this article, we’ll note the range of terms and preferences and explain some of the notable reasons behind these preferences. Content warning: The end of this article …
If it’s spring, it must be time for our fancy to turn to thoughts of basketball and, of course, March Madness—an interesting term, if we’ve ever heard one. Would you be surprised to find out the term March Madness didn’t originate with basketball? The phrase seems to date back to the 1800s and is thought to be connected to the much older expression mad as a March hare. But …
Chocolate is one of the most beloved treats, whether it’s chocolate truffles, chocolate ice cream, chocolate-covered strawberries, or anything else chocolate. But how much do you actually know about this uber-popular sweet? Turns out there’s a lot more to the word chocolate itself (not to mention all of the associated words and variations on how it’s used) than you might imagine. The word chocolate was …
The difference between a metaphor and a simile is like the difference between precious metals and gems (both are valuable and useful, but one can take many more forms). Understanding this difference—and knowing how to use both—can be a jewel in the crown of your writing, making your descriptions and comparisons more colorful and engaging. See what we did here? That first sentence uses a simile, …
Romaine, arugula, and iceberg lettuce are all ingredients that likely spring to mind when you hear the word salad. These healthy leafy greens are generally what to expect when you’re asked “soup or salad” at a restaurant. But there are other foods with salad in the name that you’d probably be surprised at receiving if you opted for a salad starter: potato salad, pasta salad, …
Mark Twain once wrote: “This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four.” Twain’s referring to the first day of April or, as it’s often known, April Fools’ Day. While the first day of the fourth month of the year is sure to bring plenty of shenanigans (will you be the perpetrator or the …
Chances are, when you started reading you encountered plenty of new words. That’s great for you—you were learning, after all—but here’s the catch. Your skill at pronouncing these words didn’t necessarily keep up with your reading skills, leading to some funny mishaps. Did colonel’s pronunciation confuse you? What about choir? Or hors’d’oeuvres? (Did you try “horse divorce” or “hers dervs”?) This might seem silly now, but …
In the upcoming presidential election, Americans will get to choose between the two major candidates: Donald Trump of the Republican Party and Joe Biden of the Democratic Party. Or, as his name will more than likely appear on the ballot, Joseph R. Biden. “Joe” is such a common nickname of “Joseph” that we often forget that celebrities such as Joe Jonas and Joe Frazier aren’t …
