Are you mid? Is based a compliment? Do you have opps? TikTok, like all social media, is a place where slang, acronyms, and spicy memes live their best (and worst) lives, popping up in videos, in comments, and as hashtags. Even if all you’re doing is browsing TikTok for the most highbrow of cat videos (sure you are), it’s nearly impossible to avoid terms like …
Misdemeanors and felonies are both crimes, but there are differences when it comes to what crimes they refer to and how severe the punishment will be if someone commits either of them. In this article, we’ll take a bite out of crime by examining what the words misdemeanor and felony mean, explaining the common differences between them and providing examples of crimes that are typically …
Is the element with atomic number 13 called aluminum or aluminium? Why does one element have two names? In this article, we’ll look at how two different names came to refer to the same element. Is it aluminium or aluminum? The metallic element with the atomic number 13 is used in a wide variety of everyday objects, such as in cans, kitchen utensils, and foil …
The phrase you’re welcome is very commonly used when being polite. But it’s a common point of confusion. When someone says “thank you” to us, why do we answer with “you’re welcome” and not “your welcome”? In this article, we’ll break down the difference between you’re welcome and your welcome and explain why you’re welcome is used as the polite response to the phrase thank …
It should come as no surprise that we are word lovers. In fact, we are big word lovers in that we love really big words. To express our love, we looked around for some of the biggest, most ludicrously long words in the English language. In addition to pure length, we also tried to find: the longest word without vowels the longest one-syllable word and …
A word lover walks into a bar and asks for a drink made from fermented mashed grains. What exactly will get poured into their glass—whiskey or bourbon? And what’s the difference anyway? In this article, we will drink responsibly as we take a shot at explaining what whiskey and bourbon are, what the differences between them are, and how they are different from other similar …
Where do the buffalo roam? Many Americans may think they know the answer but would be in for a surprise when shown a picture of a buffalo. Which animal actually lives in North America—a bison or a buffalo? In this article, we’ll explain what bison and buffalo are, provide differences to tell them apart, and briefly look at some of their closest relatives. The …
When we communicate with others using words, we’re using language. We’re also using a dialect and an accent, whether we’re aware of it or not. But what do all of these words mean? How are languages, dialects, and accents different from each other? In this article, we will talk about the differences between languages, dialects, and accents while providing examples of each. The word language …
by Nick Norlen, Senior Editor Maybe it was inevitable. And perhaps it was obvious. But honestly, it’s hard not to love it. We asked the internet public to vote to determine The GWOAT—The Greatest Word Of All Time. After multiple rounds and nearly 14,000 votes, they chose… love. Allow us, the objective language observers, to be sentimental for a moment. We acknowledged up front that it’s …
Did Disney’s movie Encanto leave you humming—and wondering? Are you curious about what the Spanish word encanto means? Encanto has several meanings, all of which relate to the movie, including a surprising history. First, the noun encanto in Spanish means “charm.” A small town with beautiful historical buildings might be full of charm and could be described as an encanto. This means the unique town and …
When someone sneezes, we often use the word achoo to describe the sound. Every time we hear an achoo, we are often compelled to answer with a Bless you or God bless you. But why? Where did the word achoo come from, and why do we feel the need to bless someone whenever we hear a sneeze? This instance of onomatopoeia imitates the sound of …
So, you’ve already completed the day’s Wordle and won six games of Scrabble against your phone. What’s a bored word lover to do? Allow us to suggest a game show! That’s right—while we’ve all been playing on our phones, TV and radio game shows have quietly become one of the most riveting ways for certified wordies to get their fix. From new Wordle-inspired games to …