The Strangest Gifts Countries Have Given Each Other
Remember that strange time Egypt gave France a life giraffe as a present? No? Then you've got to hear all about it and 9 other unexpected gifts between countries.
The Extraordinary Origins of 10 Common English Words
In this article, we uncover the extraordinary etymology of 10 common English words, including ‘daisy’, ‘eavesdropper’, and ‘vaccine’.
15 Surprising Facts that Are Super Interesting
These surprising historical facts will supply a meaty meal for anecdote and history lovers alike. It's so much fun to learn those small details about days gone by.
How Did European Countries Get Their Names?
Did you know that the word Spain, the name of the country, is translated from Phoenician as "the land of rabbits?"
10 English Words That Come From Native American Languages
Some seemingly ordinary English words, such as barbecue, raccoon, and even squash, actually come from Native American languages and it's fascinating!
You Won’t Believe These 11 Phrases Are Over a Century Old
These 11 words and phrases seem like they're a recent invention in English, but they're actually at least a century old...
10 Words We Use Every Day That Shakespeare Made Popular
Shakespeare is believed to have invented 1,700 words, but these 10 should be taken off the list, as he didn't invent, but popularized them.
I Can’t Believe These Ordinary Words Used to Mean That...
Let’s take a short journey back in time and trace the origins of 11 seemingly-ordinary words that have exceptionally-interesting histories.
Language vs Dialect - How Are They Different?
You've surely heard about the term "dialect" before. But have you ever considered how a language and a dialect differ?
The Origins of these 10 Olympic Words is Fascinating
You use these popular sports words all the time. But do you know where they come from?
These Words Wouldn’t Exist Without These 10 Famous Authors
Learn of 10 commonly-used English words that were coined by famous authors and philosophers.
10 Popular “Contemporary” Words Coined by Shakespeare
Shakespeare’s impact on the language we speak is far greater than most of us realize. These surprising words are just a few of hundreds attributed to the Bard.
14 Uniquely Canadian Words and Phrases You Should Know
There are some Canadian words no American would understand. If you’re planning on visiting Canada, it’s quite useful to learn these 14 words and phrases.
What's Portmanteau? Surprising Etymologies of Common Words
If If you have ever said the words brunch, sitcom or spam, you have used portmanteaus. This is the fascinating origins story of many common words...
You Know These 10 Foreign Words Without Even Realizing It
We’re willing to bet that you know more foreign words than you think, even if English is the only language you speak. Here’s why...
8 Ordinary English Words With Surprisingly Spicy Origins
The origins of all these 8 seemingly innocent words - e.g. gymnasium, avocado, and nice - are not for the faint of heart, as they're quite naughty!
10 Difficult Words in English Everyone Should Know
English has many difficult words with meanings that are nearly impossible to guess, which makes them super tough to remember. Here are 10 such words
15 Latin Phrases We Use to This Day Without Even Realizing
As an English, speaker you likely know more Latin than you ever thought you did. Just look at these 15 Latin phrases and see if you know what they mean...
From Salt to Salary: Surprising Origins of Ordinary Words
Did you know that the word 'muscle' stems from the Latin word for little mouse? Here is a collection of words with peculiar etymologies
Same Country, Different Name - The Story of Exonyms
Ever wonder why we call Germany, well, 'Germany,' but they refer to themselves as 'Deutschland?
11 Clever Contronyms - Same Word, Opposite Meanings
Have you ever heard of contronyms? Here’s a hint - these are words that contradict themselves.
Fun Geography - These Countries Moved Their Capitals
Changing the capital city is a surprisingly common practice in history, and the historical reasons for the change of capitals are often fascinating!
14 Obsolete English Terms We Wish Were Brought Back!
Over the centuries, so many eloquent and useful English words fell out of use. We wish these 14 clever (but sadly obsolete) terms were used more often.
What Made the Merriam-Webster Dictionary Last So Long
How do new words get added do the dictionary? Watch the surprising history of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary to find out...
Using These French Phrases in English Elevates Your Speech
Even if English is the only language you speak, we’re more than convinced that you’re quite familiar with a bunch of French words...
