Tag Archives: interest-currentevents

  1. “Daylight Savings Time” And Commonly Mixed-Up Words And Phrases

    Every March and November, most Americans change their clocks to keep up with the switch into or out of daylight-saving time. This practice of advancing the clocks ahead an hour is called daylight-saving time. But, because daylight savings time is used so frequently, the term is also considered acceptable. Daylight-saving time means that since the clock is moved ahead one hour, you get one more …

  2. What Does It Mean To Be Asexual?

    by Rory GoryIn a recent study, “Diversity of Youth Sexual Orientation,” The Trevor Project found that one in five LGBTQ youth are using different words to describe their sexual and romantic identities and orientations, including terms like asexual and aromantic. (Read more about this study and those new words here.) But, there are many persistent and painful myths and misunderstandings surrounding sexual orientation, romantic attraction, …

  3. What Is “Stochastic Terrorism,” And Why Is It Trending?

    On Saturday, August 3, a gunman in El Paso, Texas, took the lives of 22 people and injured many more. The next morning, another shooter claimed 9 victims in Dayton, Ohio. As people were processing these massacres, many turned to the dictionary. We observed lookups for one term, stochastic terrorism, surge 63,389% on August 4, as compared to the week prior. Topping searches on https://t.co/OeJELgy3YL …

  4. Redefine Black: Why Dictionary.com Is Updating Its Definition

    Update: Dictionary.com lexicographers have completed updates of our current entry for the word Black. Read on to find out why we’ve decided to revise this particular entry. At Dictionary.com we take words very seriously. They are foundational to how individuals think about themselves, and they can influence the perceptions of others. When it comes to the language of identity, the words we use are especially important. …

  5. Is “Anti” Actually An Inclusive Term?

    When we think of positive language, anti isn’t the first word that comes to mind. In fact, anti seems like the very opposite of it. The word is a verbal line in the sand—a division between people who are for something and those who are against it. So, it might surprise you to know that the negative anti is being hailed as a more inclusive way to …

  6. What Is A “Self-Own”?

    Perhaps you’ve scrolled through social media and seen someone comment: Classic self-own. Greatest self-own of the year so far. Olympics-level self-own. Hall-of-fame self-own. This is both a self-own and a universal truth https://t.co/xbHhqovnnL — John Haltiwanger (@jchaltiwanger) January 30, 2020 What are these self-owns, and why are they epic? To understand what self-own really means, we must first know the meaning of the slang term …

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    Hashtags To Help You Get By On Social Media

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    Has The Word “Expert” Lost Its Meaning?

    by Ashley Austrew What makes someone an expert? In the days of the internet, it seems like it’s gotten much harder to tell. Social media and the instant expert Social media makes it possible for anyone to have a platform, and that’s given rise to the phenomenon known as the instant expert. These self-appointed authorities on everything from federal policy to last night’s episode of This Is …

  9. Why Are We Calling Everything A “Wave”?

    by Taneesh KheraWhen you picture a wave, what do you think of? I bet you see a body of water, possibly a lake, but more likely an ocean. A shore might come to mind, as would sand and beaches, and maybe a surfer or a boat or ship. Another possibility, not altogether different, is a hand saying hello, waving goodbye. If you consume much news, …

  10. Twerk And Other Trending Words On Dictionary.com

    What do Cardi B and Vice President Mike Pence’s wife Karen Pence have in common? They both helped put words on the most searched list from January 11–18, 2019! Contumacious Second Lady Karen Pence made headlines January 15 with an announcement that she accepted a job as an art teacher at a conservative Christian school in Virginia. The vice president’s wife landed on the trending …

  11. Why Are People Getting “Canceled”?

    We could always cancel our plans or a magazine subscription, but these days it’s people who are up for cancelation. The verb cancel dates back to the days of medieval Latin, meaning “to cross out.” It’s only in the past couple of years that it’s been used to declare people null and void. Everyone from Kanye West to Lena Dunham has now been labelled as “canceled” …

  12. Jefe, White Elephant, And Other Trending Words On Dictionary.com

    From the funeral of a former president to an international soccer trade, here’s what made words trend on Dictionary.com the week of From the funeral of a former president to an international soccer trade, here’s what made words trend on Dictionary.com the week of November 30–December 7, 2018! Jefe The loss of President George H.W. Bush was felt across the nation, and his long-time friend …