Ghosts gather here! The etymological history of Halloween

As leaves start to fall and the world develops a sepia tint, so begins autumn – a mystical time of year, with Halloween historically believed to mark the turning point of summer into colder months. This spooky season we’ve compiled a list of traditional Halloween words and phrases to examine… Read More

Hot cod! Are you feeling apptimistic or indulging in aquafaba? Lucy Mangan explains.

I came across a new (to me) word myself this week, as I was reading avidly about New York in a bid to stop myself from become wholly consumed with envy of my husband who had managed to need to go there for a week for work. The word is… Read More

Snailing, plandid shots & snark: Exploring the latest word submissions

It’s been a fortnight since we last gathered round this digital fireplace, which means there must be a new political and Instagram term to share – and so there be. In the former slot we have “Moggmentum”, submitted – with enthusiasm, despair, or the simple diligence of… Read More

10 lost words from the Collins English Dictionary to build into everyday conversation

With the recent research unveiled by the University of York discovering lost words in historic texts, we decided to root around in the Collins English Dictionary to uncover a selection of unusual linguistic gems that can be used in everyday conversation. 1. Whiffler – ‘a person who vacillates… Read More

Expand ye vocab on #TalkLikeAPirateDay with 12 swashbuckling words & phrases

Ahoy there! So ye want to talk like a pirate? Ye’ve come to the right place matey! In celebration of #TalkLikeAPirateDay we’ve put together a collection of classic pirate words and phrases to spice up your vocab. Arr! 1. All hands on deck Got an urgent task that’s popped… Read More

80 years of The Hobbit: The unique language of J.R.R. Tolkien

In honour of The Hobbit’s 80th anniversary, we explore the origins of some of the legendary words and phrases J.R.R. Tolkien coined, within his own novels and during his time as a dictionary editor. Hobbit Perhaps his most famous linguistic invention, the word became well-known in 1937 after… Read More

GIF, enchroma glasses, and taking a knee: September’s Words in the News

Few people nowadays could imagine the internet without GIFs, but even fewer would guess that the format is now 30 years old. Yes, Steve Wilhite, a computer engineer at CompuServe, invented the format in 1987, and Atari was one of its target platforms. (And you’ll need to dust off your… Read More

Oreo, platooning, and Authorized Neutral Athlete: August’s Words in the News

There’s a new Android in town. Yes, while the rest of the world was looking up at the prosaic and commonplace sight of the moon passing in front of the sun, covering the earth in darkness during daylight hours, Google announced the release of the latest version of its world-dominating… Read More

Youies, bothies, there are many ways to photograph a two-faced cat… Lucy Mangan digs into the latest word submissions

Well, hello and welcome back! I hope we’ve all enjoyed the summer break. The modern world has galloped on apace while we’ve been sunning ourselves in Fuengirola , so let’s catch up ASAP… Contributor runriot informs us that in the world of pixellated pictorial record one can now take a… Read More