dictionaries

What is Left Unsaid: How Some Words Do—Or Don’t—Make It Into Print

Sarah Ogilvie on Alexander John Ellis, the Man Behind the Oxford English Dictionary

 
By Sarah Ogilvie  October 23, 2023
The Hub

You can now look up the definitions of “nepo baby” and “shower orange” on dictionary.com.

By Emily Temple  September 6, 2023
Language

In Search of Words for the Most Obscure Sorrows

By John Koenig  November 23, 2021
The Hub

The makers of this French dictionary are under fire for including gender-inclusive language.

By Vanessa Willoughby  November 17, 2021
The Hub

Sorry, “jab”—”vax” is the Oxford English Dictionary’s word of the year.

By Jessie Gaynor  November 1, 2021
Language

A Secret Feminist History of the Oxford English Dictionary

By Pip Williams  April 26, 2021
First Draft

Why Eley Williams Recommends Reading Dictionaries Cover to Cover

By First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing   February 22, 2021
The Hub

This AI-generated dictionary is very cool and also terrifying.

By Jessie Gaynor  May 14, 2020
Bad Reviews of Good Books

The 30 Best One-Star Amazon Reviews of . . . The Dictionary

By Emily Temple  April 23, 2020
The Hub

Dear Oxford English Dictionary: “bitch” is not a synonym for “woman.”

By Corinne Segal  March 3, 2020
Essay

Debating a Second Grader on the Merits of Wikipedia and the Etymology of ‘Ladybird’

By Evan Lavender-Smith  December 18, 2017
Excerpts

How a Dictionary Got Into the Marriage Equality Debate

By Kory Stamper  March 22, 2017
End of Year Lists

The Biggest Literary Stories of the Year: 50 to 31

By Literary Hub  December 27, 2016
Conversations

Who is the Genius Behind Merriam-Webster’s Social Media?

By Emily Temple  November 28, 2016