by Kevin Burton My first reaction upon reading that Merriam-Webster plans to eliminate words from the dictionary was protective: “keep your hands off my words!” Then I read the list. Well all right then, go ahead and chop them. Except for mugwump. I need that one to stay. The Mugwumps was …
Category Archives: dictionary
USA And UK Divided By Common Language
by Dictionary Scoop While many things bring Americans closer to the UK, some aspects of our language set us apart. English is spoken by more than 1.4 billion people worldwide; with so many people using this language, it is understandable that some differences have developed. Today we walk through 10 drastic vocabulary differences between American …
Significant Words About Insignificance
by Kevin Burton You may not have heard of some of the words on today’s list from Merriam-Webster, especially the first one. The dictionary is serving up words about insignificance. But the first offering is from my childhood days at the Ohio State School for the Blind. I may have heard this …
From Merriam-Webster: Your Cheatin’ Words
by Kevin Burton Here’s where country music meets the dictionary, a sleazy list of words from Merriam-Webster about adultery and/or its aftermath. The Bible doesn’t have a hierarchy of sins, at least that I can find, but I sort of do. Marital infidelity is very close to the worst in my estimation. …
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Today We Help You Talk Like An Egyptian
by Dictionary Scoop You are probably aware that the English language has Greek and Latin roots. But did you know some of the most used English words come from Ancient Egyptian? For example, the word pharaoh is a no-brainer. As you would imagine, it is an Ancient Egyptian word meaning “Great House,” the place destined for …
Ten Words Inspired By Our Animal Friends
by Dictionary Scoop Whenever we think about vocabulary related to the animal kingdom, our mind usually goes to long, Latin scientific terms that seem extremely daunting to anyone not well-versed in biology. However, we sometimes fail to see how much our animal friends have also influenced the everyday words we regular joes use. We have …
Appreciate These Rare, Underused Words
by Kevin Burton In a rare misstep, the folks at Dictionary Scoop said we should try to impress people with the vocabulary words listed below. The kind of people who would be impressed by something like that are not, let’s say, among my closest companions. But let’s appreciate the words and use …
“Imponderably” And Other English Isograms
by Dictionary Scoop Words that do not repeat a single letter are called isograms. The longer they are, the less we use them but the more fascinating they are. Long, unusual isograms go against language economy. However, from time to time, using words like “adjunctively” or “beclamouring” is the only way to express our …
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Hope For The Castaway Through Jesus Christ
by Kevin Burton To get a picture of what Christ has done for us, it helps to define the word “wilderness.” Merriam-Webster says wilderness is “a tract or region uncultivated and uninhabited by human beings.” That kind of wilderness may be wild, but it still has its potential. It just hasn’t been tended …
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Other Terms For “Underwear” In Plain Sight
by Kevin Burton Now don’t go getting your panties in a bunch, but today we’re going to mention the unmentionable. The dictionary made me do it! This is Merriam-Webster ‘s list of ten better ways to say “underwear.” Getting one’s “knickers in a twist” is the way they say that phrase in …
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