play video websters video of 1864
Words Matter

Webster's Dictionary of 1864

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.


The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

Up next

play video websters video of 1864
Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

play video drive safe ly
Drive Safe: In Praise of Flat Adverbs

 

You don't have to end all your adverbs in -ly to talk right.

play alright allright video
Alright vs. All Right

 

Is 'alright' all right?

play video hopefully
Hopefully

 

We believe the popular usage of this word is correct

play hot mess
Hot Mess

 

Our research turned up two archaic literal meanings

play woman and dog illustration
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?

 

We're gonna stop you right there

play video how a word gets into the dicionary
How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

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