Merriam-WebsterVerified account

@MerriamWebster

Word of the Day, facts and observations on language, lookup trends, and wordplay from the editors at Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Springfield, MA
Joined December 2009

Tweets

You blocked @MerriamWebster

Are you sure you want to view these Tweets? Viewing Tweets won't unblock @MerriamWebster

  1. Pinned Tweet

    For a number of reasons and meanings, ‘justice’ was on the minds of many in 2018. ‘Justice’ is our 2018 .

    Undo
  2. 'Foible' (a minor flaw or shortcoming in character) is etymologically tied to the weakest part of a sword's blade.

    Undo
  3. A person lying 'supine' is face up. A person lying 'prone' is facing downward.

    Undo
  4. While you were out: - 'Bird box' trended from everyone watching the movie (and freaking out?) - 'Osculation' saw a jump when the Kennedy Center honored Philip Glass - 'Marginal' spiked when Trump disabused a child of the notion of Santa

    Undo
  5. Undo
  6. Retweeted

    "An accident of history" but "A diplomatic incident." The crossed paths of etymologically similar words:

    Undo
  7. 'Mustache' has only become the predominant American spelling in the last half-century; as recent as 1961 our Unabridged still listed 'moustache' in the top spot.

    Undo
  8. 'Biblioklept': one who steals books 'Bibliolater': one overly devoted to books 'Bibliognost': one that has comprehensive knowledge of books and bibliography

    Undo
  9. Undo
  10. 'Ae' says one thing in 'algae,' another thing in 'aesthetic,' and still another in 'maestro.' Here's how to deal with it:

    Undo
  11. Undo
  12. 'Wuther' is a verb from English dialect meaning “to blow with a dull roaring sound.” It’s now encountered almost exclusively in the title of Emily Brontë’s 'Wuthering Heights.'

    Undo
  13. The Latin 'canticum' ("song") gave us a number of song-related words, including 'canzone,' 'cantata,' 'chanty,' and 'canticle' ("a liturgical song from the Bible").

    Undo
  14. If you need a break from your real cousins, test yourself on these word ones.

    Undo
  15. Boxing Day has been around since the 1600s: churches would put out boxes for donations for the poor and servants were given the day off and a box of food and gifts to take home.

    Undo
  16. Happy first day of to everyone who celebrates! The holiday got its name from the Swahili phrase 'matunda ya kwanza' (“first fruits”).

    Undo
  17. Undo
  18. Hey here are some SCRABBLE words you couldn't play last Christmas.

    Undo
  19. 'Psychrophilic': thriving at a relatively low temperature

    Undo
  20. 'Kriss Kringle' came into English from the German 'Christkindl,' which means “Christmas gift” and “Christ child.”

    Undo
  21. Good morning! Merry Christmas! Today's is 'benison'

    Undo

Loading seems to be taking a while.

Twitter may be over capacity or experiencing a momentary hiccup. Try again or visit Twitter Status for more information.

    You may also like

    ·