Dictionary.com’s United States of Diversity series by Taneesh Khera In 2019, the United Nations is raising awareness about the alarming loss of many of the world’s languages through its International Year of Indigenous Languages. In honor of that initiative, we are shining the spotlight on the languages of the Sioux, and the growing movement to preserve and reinvigorate these rich but endangered tongues. Where did …
If you hang out around surfers long enough, chances are you’ll overhear them talking about a gnarly wave or a sick run. But what if they’re chatting about their housekeeping woes, and a gnarly living room or nasty kitchen? (Not cool, dude!) Does that make the words gnarly, sick, and nasty synonyms? This gets tricky because in addition to having various definitions, each word can be used …
When Americans think of Canadian English, certain stereotypical Canadianisms found in pop culture might come to mind, such as the ubiquitous “eh” or the distinctly Canadian way of saying “about.” But there is so much more than that! Just like their counterparts in the United States, the people of the Great White North have a bunch of cool slang words for a whole range of …
There are a lot of words to refer to people who move from one place to another. Some are used in overlapping ways, but there are key differences between many of them, including whether the person is coming or going, and for what reasons. In this article, we’ll break down the differences in meaning and use between the words immigration and emigration, the related forms …
Misdemeanors and felonies are both crimes, but there are differences when it comes to what crimes they refer to and how severe the punishment will be if someone commits either of them. In this article, we’ll take a bite out of crime by examining what the words misdemeanor and felony mean, explaining the common differences between them and providing examples of crimes that are typically …
by John Kelly, Senior Research Editor at Dictionary.com The coronavirus pandemic isn’t only affecting people’s health and safety. It is also impacting people’s livelihoods as the virus hits the economy. Cancellations, quarantines, and social distancing are causing many companies to furlough or lay off employees—and in some instances, both. But what is the difference between furloughs and layoffs? For health, safety, and medical emergencies or …
Marijuana dispensaries offer customers and patients a variety of options for either medical or recreational use. These decisions can be overwhelming for someone who’s not familiar with the industry lingo. One decision a consumer might have to make is what strain (“a group of plants distinguished from other plants of the variety to which it belongs by some intrinsic quality”) of cannabis to purchase. Although there …
So you have an important test coming up. Standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, GRE, and GED are a major part of the high school, college, and even graduate school experience, but prepping for these tests isn’t exactly everyone’s favorite activity. Each of these tests serves a different function in the high school and college admissions process, but no matter which one you’re signed up …
It’s safe to say we all like feeling loved, but do we all feel and express love in the exact same ways? Not necessarily, according to the experts. If you’ve spent any time online or interacting with pop culture, you’ve probably heard a thing or two about love languages, and one love language specifically: words of affirmation. These buzzy terms have been on our collective …
The astrological sign for people born between April 20–May 20 is Taurus, the bull constellation. Taurus is the second sign of the zodiac, following Aries, but it is one of the oldest identified constellations known to man. To many ancient civilizations, the bull represented love, war, and strength. Taurus is an Earth sign, meaning it is connected with all things grounded, material, and solid—which makes sense …