Timber and lumber sound a lot alike, and they both generally refer to the same thing: wood. But when exactly is wood considered timber and when is it considered lumber? Join us as we split the differences between the meanings of timber and lumber, cover the ways they overlap, and explain why timberjack (yes, it’s a word) might be more accurate than lumberjack. Hint: there’s …
It was a dark and stormy night when the writer turned to Dictionary.com for synonyms and definitions to make their writing pop. At least, it would be a dark and stormy night if said writer was basing a story on one of the most cliché (a trite, stereotyped expression that has lost all originality from being long overused) introductions to grace the page. If you’ve …
Just as the leaves start to turn, and the scent of apple cider begins wafting through the air, the season of Libra is upon us. Lovely Libras are those people born between September 23–October 23. Libra is the seventh sign of the zodiac and is one of the three air signs (Gemini and Aquarius are the other two). The word Libra dates back to 1350–1400. …
Remember when everyone was talking about the Delta variant of COVID-19? And just as we were getting used to this new term, a Lambda variant appeared in the news. Delta? Lambda? Do these words mean anything? Why are we using them to refer to COVID-19? Delta and lambda are actually letters of the Greek alphabet, and there is a good reason that we are using …
When you think of something (or someone) sinister, there’s a good chance it’s not a pleasant picture. Sinister is an adjective that means “threatening or portending evil, harm, or trouble.” That shadowy, sinister figure lurking in the dark alley, for example. But the word sinister, which comes from Latin, originally meant “left” or “on the left hand or side.” Even back in Latin, though, sinister …
Few things travel across borders as easily as food recipes and ingredients. So perhaps it should come as no surprise that there are so many foods named from where they originally come from. Sometimes the name comes from a specific ingredient like a fruit or vegetable that’s grown in a place, like Sichuan peppers or Fuji apples, while other times the name comes from a …
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 …
Many people around the world agree that doughnuts—those small sweetened or unsweetened pieces of dough fried in deep fat—are delicious. What is less agreed on (at least in the United States) is the spelling: is it doughnut or donut? Technically, it can be both. Dictionaries and popular style guides like the AP Stylebook list doughnut as the preferred spelling. However, donut is a common variation …
While there are auto races held throughout the year, there are few better times to watch an event than summer. Case in point: races like the Indy 500, which is at the end of May. Race fans are well familiar with the major events, of course, but even those who haven’t watched a full race in their life have almost certainly used some auto racing …
May may seem like a short and simple name, but its origin is actually fairly complex and interesting. Sit back and read up on this little word’s…big history. What does May mean? The fifth month of the Gregorian calendar, May, is defined as “the fifth month of the year, containing 31 days.” Got it. But where did this name come from? The name for the …
