play video new words for 2011
Words Matter

New Dictionary Words for 2011

'Cougar,' 'Crowdsourcing,' 'Bromance' & more — the latest additions to America's best-selling dictionary.


'Cougar,' 'Crowdsourcing,' 'Bromance' & more — the latest additions to America's best-selling dictionary.

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play video new words for 2011
New Dictionary Words for 2011

 

'Cougar,' 'Crowdsourcing,' 'Bromance' & more — the latest additions to America's best-selling dictionary.

play video lay vs lie
Lay vs. Lie

 

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.

play video soup vs soop
An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling

 

Soop, wimmen, and headake did not make the cut

play hanger-hangar-illustrations
Is It 'Hanger' or 'Hangar'?

 

How to remember which is which

play further vs farther video
Further vs. Farther

 

They started as same word, but their meanings have drifted apart over time.

play video ghost words
How a Ghost Word Appeared in the Dictionary

 

An imaginary word that snuck into the dictionary