dictionary
The most misused, overused, and useless English words
DETROIT — You, sir, (or ma'am): Focus, if you will, on a historic, on fleek listicle containing words nominated for bigly banishment. But don't convene a town hall meeting or...
These words are on the dictionary's death row
A war of words is taking place and victory will be measured not in cheers, but in silence. It’s a bloody battle based on the way we speak and the...
Presidential election helps inspire Dictionary.com's word of the year
While it's difficult to get at exactly why people look words up in dictionaries, online or on paper, it's clear that in contentious 2016, fear of "otherness" bruised the collective...
30 basic words you don't know you're saying wrong
When you want quinoa at a restaurant, do you whisper your order for fear of mispronouncing it? When you find a bunch of peonies at the florist, do you simply...
Merriam-Webster calls a hot dog a sandwich, and the internet can't deal
The people from Merriam-Webster -- the "most trustworthy dictionary and thesaurus of American English" -- trolled Twitter on Friday by officially declaring that the hot dog is, in fact, a...
'Athleisure' and 'ICYMI' among latest additions to the dictionary
ICYMI, the dictionary has received a 2016 makeover. Merriam-Webster announced it has added more than 2,000 words and phrases — with many reflecting updates in science, technology, personal identity, fashion...
Word of the Year proves we are dumber than last year
In a move bound to make some shed tears, Oxford Dictionaries announced this week that its word of the year isn’t actually a word at all, but an emoji, officially called...
‘Yaaas’ is the latest addition to the dictionary
Yaaas queen! Dictionary.com — the poor man’s Merriam-Webster — is keeping up with the kids, adding a squad of slang words in their latest dictionary update, released Tuesday. Here, our...
What took so long for ‘MacGyver’ to make it into the dictionary?
Give it up for the gang at Oxford Dictionaries: No longer making us wait 75 years for the next fully updated edition to come out in hardcover, they’re regularly adding...
Oxford adds 'manspreading,' 'wine o'clock' and 'fatberg' (don't ask) to dictionary
LONDON — Manspreading is so widespread it's now a word. The term, coined by commuters, refers to men on public transport who splay their legs wide apart and encroach on...
Why is every ‘word of the year’ so cringe-worthy?
When the Oxford English dictionary announced on Monday its long-awaited word of the year for 2014, there was a collective groan — or was that the sound of people vaping?...
Oxford English Dictionary crowns 'vape' Word of the Year
Puff on this: Oxford Dictionaries just crowned "vape" the Word of the Year! There was some stiff competition for what would take the top spot, but 2014 belonged to the...
Webster's adds 'hashtag,' 'selfie,' 'tweep' and more to dictionary
Da "Yoopers" up dere in da U.P., Michigan's Upper Peninsula, have hit it big with inclusion of their nickname in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary and the company's free online database. The...
'Science' is the word of the year
Look alive, selfie. There's another word of the year that's not all about you. While Oxford University Press, the British publisher of the Oxford dictionaries, declared those little smartphone self-portraits...