Clipping found in Daily National Intelligencer and Washington Express published in Washington, District of Columbia on 6/28/1866. barnacling

Thinkmap Visual Thesaurus: Word Routes - The latest "On Language" column in the New York Times Magazine reveals the origins of the title "Ms."

The phrase “bucket list” made its way from a screenwriter’s bulletin board to usage by President Obama—but changed its meaning on the way.

Stephen Sondheim gets credit for popularizing cryptic crosswords in the U.S., but there’s a lot more to the story.

Clipping found in Evening Standard published in London, Greater London, England on 1/18/1930. cryptic crosswords

A history lesson behind the now-infamous keychain.

Ben Zimmer originally drafted this list in 2003. In 2013 comments, he mentioned that Mean Girls and Juno would also make the cut. Further comment from Zimmer: "I note that the OED now includes…

Ready for some wordplay? Sharpen your skills with Slate’s puzzle for Aug. 2, 2026.

Ryan is off losing money in Las Vegas, so we all chanted "Barnacle! Barnacle! Barnacle!" -- and lo and behold, appeared in the studio to regale everyone with tales of the ! That, plus jealousy of the...

On Facebook, Jay Dillon posted an intriguing verse that appeared in Prize Translations, Poems, and Parodies, Reprinted from The Journal of Education (1881). Jay muses that the line “What the …

Clipping found in The Topeka Capital-Journal published in Topeka, Kansas on 10/22/1920. "Eighty-six" or "86" slang term (1920).

Many have claimed to know the origin story of the service industry’s most infamous number. But the real roots of the term have been largely forgotten.

Many have claimed to know the origin story of the service industry’s most infamous number. But the real roots of the term have been largely forgotten.