Tag Archives: Vocabulary

  1. Do You Cringe At The Sound Of These Words?

    We've compiled a list of the most cringeworthy words in the English language to try and determine what makes these words so awkward (and hated)

  2. The United States Of Diversity: Borders

    Dictionary.com’s United States of Diversity by Taneesh KheraIn April, 2018 I traveled to India for a college friend’s wedding. When I came back, I read part of this essay to two friends, and we began to discuss borders and what they’ve become today. That conversation was inspiration for this episode, so grab a cushion and get comfortable for the United States of Diversity: Borders. Communication …

  3. English Words From The Pharaohs

    Most people recognize Ancient Greek and Latin as the primary donors to the English language. However, some of the most ancient words in English actually trace back to Ancient Egypt.  Distinct from the contemporary Egyptian Arabic spoken today, Ancient Egyptian is a unique Afro-Asiatic language that doesn’t really share similarities with other languages in the family (like Arabic, Hebrew, or Berber).   Its 5,000 year-old …

  4. Velociraptor And Other Trending Words On Dictionary.com

    The royal wedding taught the world a few new words, but it wasn’t the only thing driving our trending searches the week of May 18–25, 2018. Fascinator, pomp and circumstance, and ginge The royal wedding didn’t just bring Prince Harry and Meghan Markle together in holy matrimony. It offered up a vocabulary lesson or two! Searches for the fancy hats traditionally worn to royal shindigs—fascinators–climbed …

  5. Our Favorite Viral Optical Illusions Explained

  6. TV Shows And Songs That Improved Our Vocabulary

    While some TV shows might not make us smarter (that's right reality TV, we're talking to you), there are others (and popular songs, too) that help enhance our language skills. We take a look at ten songs and shows that help improve our vocabulary.

  7. We’re Never Mercurial With Your Word Of The Day Quiz!

    Even balladmongers can ace this Word of the Day Quiz … If the quiz doesn’t display, please try opening in the Chrome browser. Share your favorite word this week with your friends on Facebook and Twitter)!

  8. “Misogyny” vs. “Sexism”: Do You Know The Difference?

    With the recent #MeToo and Times Up movements, equality and the empowerment of women have become household conversations around the world. Everyone from your next-door neighbor to your favorite high-school teacher has likely joined the discussion, using a brand-new set of vocabulary including the words misogyny and sexism. While these two terms may seem similar, there are actually several differences that make them stand on …

  9. Celebrity Baby Name Or Past Word Of The Day?

    Can you guess whether these words are celebrity baby names or past Dictionary.com words of the day? You’re intrigued, you know it . . . . and maybe learning these past Word of the Day picks will even inspire some naming creativity (wink, wink). If the quiz doesn’t display, please try opening in the Chrome browser.

  10. Do You Know These Science Trending Words And Discoveries?

    Test out your scientific knowledge here! (And, if you need a little brush-up on some science terms, check out our Science Terms For Dummies slideshow.) If the quiz doesn’t display, please try opening in the Chrome browser.

  11. Do You Know What These Weird Plurals Mean?

    Have you ever wondered how to pluralize some of the most common words you use everyday? Some plural forms are pretty strange . . . and most people don’t know them. Take our quiz below to see if you’re up on some of the most obscure plural words in the English language. If the quiz doesn’t display, please tryopeningin the Chrome browser.

  12. Every Day Was Wacky Hair Day In The 1700s