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Word History

Words of the Year: 1066

Why is pig meat called 'pork' and cow meat called 'beef?' Because English took on a big serving of French words following the Norman Conquest.


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play video title words of the year 1066
Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

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Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

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i.e. vs. e.g.

 

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Why does it sound strange to say 'funner' or 'funnest?'

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How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

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