Ahoy, matey! Because they don’t want to walk the plank, sailors use the words port and starboard to make sure they know which direction the captain is talking about. However, it’s easy for landlubbers to get turned around by these words. In this article, we will define the words port and starboard as they are used in the context of nautical vessels and aircraft, explain …
Language is a living thing, and so is Dictionary.com. Our dictionary will always be a work in progress—there’s no day in the future when we’ll mark it “complete” after adding the last word. This never-ending work is the job of our lexicographers, the (amazingly talented) people who write and edit the dictionary. They do more than just add and define words. They also add new …
You don’t need us to tell you that spelling words correctly is not always easy. For evidence, you only need to look at the word mispelled … and then look again because we just misspelled it! But even when you get everything just right, sometimes things just feel off. There are certain words out there that—even when all of the I’s are dotted and T’s …
We make it no secret here that we think words are really cool. In English, we can do a lot of cool things with words like make metaphors, rhymes, or craft groan-worthy puns that even the most tolerant of dads will roll their eyes at. To help express our love of vocabulary, we found a bunch of fun terms that describe a lot of different …
Words are powerful, and a masterful use of words can change the world. At the same time, words have a fun side to them too. While the English language often seems to exist purely to confuse us, English also has a silly side that can make us laugh and smile. Are you skeptical? Well, we have dug deep into the English toy box to find …
Mother, maman, mommy, amma, mama, em, mum, mamma, mutter, mare, maty, ana … Across languages an uncanny pattern appears for the word mother. Why? Is it evidence of universal language? Is this evidence of sound symbolism at work, which is a phoneme (sound) that has meaning completely unto itself? If you’re a linguist, baby talk is not just a cute but meaningless language used with infants. …
In order to use the internet, you’ll typically need help from a modem and a router. These two boxes have similar jobs, so it can be easy to get them confused. In this article, we will give a simple explanation of what a modem and router are and how they are used to connect to the internet. router vs. modem In the simplest terms, a …
Thank you for celebrating Dictionary Week with us in honor of Dictionary.com’s 28th birthday! Check out all the highlights here! Monday, May 15 Will you be inducted into our Pun Hall of Fame? Dictionary Week kicks off with a very special Punday Monday. Share your favorite puns with us on Twitter—we might add yours to our Pun Hall Of Fame! Plus: Get in on the Wordplay Day …
Dictionary Week kicks off with Wordplay Day, a celebration of all things punny, playful, and linguistically laugh-inducing. We’ve got a full slate of activities, events, and resources to help you dive into the Wordplay Day festivities. 🏆 Will You Be Inducted Into Our Pun Hall of Fame? We’re kicking off Dictionary Week with a very special Punday Monday. Share your favorite puns with us on …
Dictionary Week celebrations continue with Word Love Day and a swoon-worthy smorgasbord of happenings, activities, and resources for language enthusiasts of every level. Calling all lexeme lovers, word nerds, and dictionary devotees! If you’re a bona fide language buff, this is the day for you! 🎁 We’re Giving Away Words We know you love words just as much as we do, so we’ve prepared a …
Dictionary Week continues with Word Pain Day, an occasion to recognize that, despite all its beauty and wonder, navigating the English language can be filled with angst and uncertainty. It’s a day for anyone who’s ever been done wrong by the pitfalls of grammar, spelling, and pronunciation (which, let’s be honest, is all of us). Never fear—we’ve got a whole lineup of activities, events, and …
Dictionary Week continues with Word Curiosity Day, an exploration of all the questions and wonder that words awaken in us. We’re here to answer all your burning questions about words, the dictionary, and the ever-evolving linguistic landscape. Feed and fuel your Word Curiosity with our expert panel, quizzes, and more! 🙋 Ask Us Anything! Now’s your chance to pose your most burning word questions directly …
