Words are more than simply groups of symbols that describe sounds or symbols that describe abstract ideas. Words are “totems.” The first Europeans to reach what is now the American Northwest saw huge, ...

On Tuesday, Dictionary.com deemed the word "woman" to be the word of the year for 2022, calling it a "prime example of the many gender terms undergoing shifts." The site suggested that, "more than ...

Words and the way we use them offer a rare window on the popular zeitgeist. Kory Stamper and Peter Sokolowski know that better than most. The Merriam-Webster lexicographers (and must-follow tweeters) ...

In an age of polarized debates and dug-in opinions, obdurate feels more relevant than ever. It’s the word that captures our cultural stalemates: firm, unmovable, sometimes admirable and often ...