Words

In honor of Valentine’s Day, discover the origins of the phrase ‘weak at the knees,’ including its ties to ancient Rome and even astrology.

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

It was about modernization—and also politics.

Sometimes the letter of the law has tough things to say about, well, letters.

From 'chickabiddy,' to 'tootsicums,' these terms of endearment are more evocative than any garden-variety 'babe.'

These words are the language of love (literally).

Whether it's bacteria, a city name, or a day of the week, love can be found in unexpected places—including our vocabulary.

These words are often mistaken for one another. See if you can break the cycle.

The initialism was originally a bit of shipbuilder marketing—and now there are many different kinds of ship designations.

How did we come to associate sleeping and snoring with the letter ‘Z’? The origins trace back farther than you might think but are tied to early 20th-century American comic strips.

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

Here's why medieval artists loved putting horns on Moses.

If you say "main sail," some sailors might consider you an outsider.

From 'bowline' to 'topgallant,' these nautical terms don't sound how they look.

Is your bread presliced, your oven preheated, and your car pre-owned?

The prefix ‘pre-’ often seems redundant—but it’s actually working hard to serve its purpose.

We have the military to thank.

This pithy word may only be three letters long, but it's deceptively complex. According to one lexicographer, it has 645 distinct definitions.

We give you an obscure word with four definitions—one correct, three made up. Can you identify the correct one?

For the next time you encounter a sea serpent, a blood-sucking fiend, or a creepy cryptid.

It has a little something to do with bees—a fact you can drop around the watercooler the next time your coworker says they spotted a mysterious drone in the sky.