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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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Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest

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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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Pictures in the Dictionary

 

The story of those iconic illustrations.

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A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia

 

Some imitative words are more surprising than others

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Literally

 

A word that (literally) drives people nuts

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Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.