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Word History

The History of 'Cynic'

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.


How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

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The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

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There, They're, Their

 

There, there. We'll sort it out.

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When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

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How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

What our editors are looking for when they enter words in Merriam-Webster.

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Lay vs. Lie

 

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.

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Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

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Old-School Grammar

 

Many of today's grammar rules can be traced to the opinions of one 18th century writer.