Fat Cat Thursday, Super Blue Moon, and jackpotting: January’s Words in the News

In previous Januarys, I’ve written about Blue Monday, which is a certain Monday in January (usually the second or third after the festive season) when everyone’s back to work, Christmas is a distant memory, and there are still many more weeks of winter. But this year I thought I’d… Read More

Beat Blue Monday with 10 words to describe happiness

It’s official, experts have declared Monday 15th January 2018 ‘Blue Monday’, the glummest day of the year. The triple threat of extreme winter weather, a strained post-Christmas bank account and the back-to-work feeling is believed to make you feel gloomier than usual. But don’t worry, we believe grey… Read More

The auld new year – Scottish words to look out for this Hogmanay

It’s almost time to bid farewell (or good riddance, either/or) to 2017 and give a warm, hearty welcome to 2018. It will doubtless mean partying, fireworks and celebrations the world over, and it’s fair to say that Scotland’s Hogmanay festivities are among the most vibrant and raucous you’ll find anywhere. Read More

These are not the words you are looking for: Collins’ Guide to Star Wars terminology

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away… it’s been 40 years since Star Wars first hit the big screen and with the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, we’ve decided to explore the Star Wars universe for intergalactic words that feature in Collins Dictionary. Read on,… Read More

Mistletoe & wassail! 6 word treats to savour this festive season

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! From wassailing to jolly Kris Kringle, the holiday season comes with its own festive selection of words and phrases. Dig into the true etymological meaning of Christmas, plus five more festive word treats to mull over. Christmas As you may… Read More

A right royal affair! 12 regal words to add to your vocabulary

With the royal engagement of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, plus the latest season of The Crown now available on Netflix, the royal family is a popular topic of conversation. We’ve searched this noble kingdom for all the royal terminology you need to know, just in time for the… Read More

‘Tis the season to be… còsagach?

The Danes introduced us to the idea of hygge. The Germans are fond of a spot of Gemütlichkeit. And now that the nights have well and truly drawn in, Scots are getting well and truly… còsagach. Eh… còsagach? Say that again? This wee Scottish Gaelic word (pronounced “kaw-sa-goch”, to rhyme… Read More

Hipster racism, Pop-up Brothel, and the Irish Question: November’s Words in the News

At a White House event in November, US president Donald Trump referred to Senator Elizabeth Warren as Pocahontas while honouring Navajo veterans of the Second World War, who had translated military intelligence communications into the Navajo language so they could not be read by the Axis powers. The real… Read More

#WorldHelloDay – How to say hello in 15 languages

A little Twitter bird told us that it’s #WorldHelloDay on November 21st! To celebrate, we’ve put together a quick guide to saying hello in 15 languages. How many can you learn? 1. Spanish – ¡Hola! 2. French – Bonjour 3. German – Hallo 4. Italian – Ciao 5. Mandarin Chinese… Read More