Tag Archives: interest-holidays
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What Word Is Your State Looking Up On Father’s Day?
Paunchy, winsome, defiance, thaumaturgical. What could this unusual assortment of words possibly have in common? Dads, apparently. Our Data Scientists examined what users looked up on Dictionary.com on Mother’s Day in 2018. Well, Daddy-o, they’ve worked their magic again. Here are the search terms that trended in each state for Father’s Day, 2018. And, compared to our moms, the words tell a very different tale. (A …
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Why Is “Christmas” Abbreviated As “Xmas”?
Here’s a holiday surprise that only the dictionary can provide. Do you find the word Xmas, as an abbreviation for Christmas, offensive? Many people do, but the origin of this controversial term might change your mind! You won’t find Xmas in church songbooks or even on many greeting cards. Some people associate Xmas with the holiday as a commercial, secular occasion instead of as a …
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Cheesecake, Racketeering, And Other Trending Words On Dictionary.com
Food, food, glorious food made its presence known in a big way on this Thanksgiving week edition of the Dictionary.com Trending Words list. From a rarely used plural for beef to a beef over the proper way to describe cheesecake, here’s what had you searching November 16–23, 2018! Cheesecake If there’s one thing Americans love, it’s food. We have a whole holiday centered around consuming …
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Why The Turducken Is One Of The Best Word Plays Of All Time
It’s Thanksgiving time, and while some folks will be piling their plates with turkey and mashed potatoes, we can’t pass on the opportunity to consider a dish named with one of the greatest portmanteaus of all time: the turducken. Let’s talk turducken A portmanteau is a blended word that’s made by putting together parts of other words—like motel, made from motor and hotel, or brunch, …
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What Is Louisiana Creole And How Was It Created?
Dictionary.com’s United States of Diversity series by Taneesh Khera Music resounds from every direction. Drums, brass, and strings clash against the cacophony of song and dance. The crowd, as diverse as the Black, Native, and European people who’ve called the area home for centuries. Smells waft in with the sound: from street-side vendors, gumbo, jambalaya, and cajun and creole spices you can taste in the …
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What’s Eggnog?
What’s eggnog? Frothy, creamy eggnog is a festive favorite in England, Canada, and America that is often enjoyed during the holiday season. This winter drink consists of milk, cream, sugar, whipped egg whites, and egg yolks. There are many versions of the drink, using alcohols like rum, brandy, whiskey, and bourbon. And, it often is flavored with everything from molasses to cinnamon to nutmeg to …
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Bunny vs. Rabbit vs. Hare: What’s The Difference?
Let’s start with the two that have scientific names. Hares and rabbits are both in the family Leporidae, but they’re separate species. Both animals have long ears, powerful back legs, and a divided upper lip. But, hares are larger than rabbits. And, instead of creating burrows, hares make nests in the grass. The exposed nesting sites of hares hint at another big difference—when they’re born. Hares are precocial, …
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What Is A Bastille?
On Bastille Day, the world parties in the name of France. But do you know what makes Bastille Day so important not just for France but the history of all democracies? What is a bastille? A bastille is French for “fortress,” “castle,” or “bastion.” What is Bastille Day? But, Bastille Day is specifically about the Bastille Saint-Antoine, which is a fortress-prison in Paris that was stormed …
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Why Is Easter Island Named “Easter”?
The instantly recognizable statues on Easter Island (887 of them), called moai, have perplexed and fascinated explorers, experts and average folks since the Dutch explorer Jacob Roggeveen came across it in 1722. And Mr. Roggeveen is the reason it’s called Easter Island. He and his crew dropped anchor on Easter Sunday. The current inhabitants of Isla de Pascua (Spanish for “Easter Island”) call it Rapa Nui, a …
