Archives

  1. bruh

    Bruh is an informal term for a male friend, often used as a form of address. For example: Hey, bruh, can you pass me the remote? While bruh has been recorded in Black English dating…
  2. Where Does The Word “Dracula” Come From?

    What comes to your mind when you see or hear the word Dracula? Probably vampires, right? But what about ruthless Romanian royalty … or dragons? It’s time for the story of Dracula—the word. Where does the character Dracula come from? We dress up as vampires on Halloween and watch dramas like True Blood thanks in large part to Irish author Bram Stoker, whose 1897 Gothic …

  3. headshot of Frankenstein's monster

    What Does The Name “Frankenstein” Actually Mean?

    In 2012, as Halloween quickly approached, a Frankenstorm was sneaking up on the East Coast. Forecasters were calling the hurricane headed for New York, New Jersey, and as far inland as Ohio, “Frankenstorm” because (like the monster in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus) this storm was stitched together from three different weather systems, Hurricane Sandy from the Caribbean, a western early winter …

  4. ☠️ Skull and Crossbones emoji

    The Skull and Crossbones emoji ☠️ depicts a human skull over a crossed pair of bones. It's a versatile emoji, relevant to topics dealing with death and dangerous substances like poison, fear, Halloween, and pirates.…
  5. ⚰️ Coffin emoji

    The Coffin emoji ⚰️ depicts a six-sided wooden coffin. It is commonly used to refer to death or dying in both literal and figurative ways. This emoji is also used in reference to various scary…
  6. 🤡 Clown Face emoji

    The Clown Face 🤡 emoji depicts the face of a circus clown. It is commonly used to convey various silly, goofy feelings or that someone is acting like a clown ("foolish"). As some people find…
  7. 🧟 Zombie emoji

    The Zombie emoji 🧟 depicts a classic zombie with decaying gray or green skin with its arms extended and fingers splayed, as if lurching toward the viewer. The emoji is commonly used in the context…
  8. 🕸️ Spiderweb emoji

    The Spiderweb emoji 🕸️ depicts a classic image of a web spun by a spider. The emoji is commonly used to refer to literal spiderwebs, cobwebs, and spiders more generally. Because many people find spiders…
  9. 🦇 Bat emoji

    The Bat emoji 🦇 depicts a gray or brown bat with outstretched wings. While occasionally used in reference to the actual winged mammal, the emoji is commonly used in the context of vampires, Halloween, and…
  10. 🍬 Candy emoji

    The Candy emoji 🍬 displays a round sugar candy in a colorful wrapper. It is commonly used to refer to actual candy, but is also sometimes more generally used in the context of feeling hungry…
  11. 🗳️ Ballot Box With Ballot emoji

    The Ballot Box With Ballot emoji 🗳️  depicts a ballot box, as used to cast a vote during an election, with a paper ballot being deposited into its slot. The emoji is commonly used to…
  12. 🧛 Vampire emoji

    The Vampire emoji 🧛  depicts a classic vampire with fangs and a black cape with a high, red-lined collar. Vampires are a very popular fantasy creature and the Vampire emoji 🧛 is frequently used alongside…