It’s a very satisfying thing to learn that there’s a word for an experience you didn’t know could be described by a word. Learning that, for example, clinomania is an “excessive desire to stay in bed” ...

How do words get their meanings? Why does the string of letters (and sounds) "d-o-g" mean "dog" and "c-a-t" mean "cat"? For the most part, meanings are conventions: A group of people (like speakers of ...

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” — William Shakespeare Words make a difference. They have meaning. Recently the debate began in Maryland on ...

Meaning associations between words have always fascinated people. Aristotle was among the first to study the connection between metaphorical language and riddles, coining the term metaphor to refer to ...

Word of the day: Alacrity - Studies show strong vocabulary improves professional success by nearly 30%. “Alacrity” is one such powerful word. It means quick action with real enthusiasm. Not just speed ...

With analysts and vendors using "technical debt" and other phrases to mean whatever they want them to mean, someone has to defend the language. IT loves buzzwords. But it is now becoming frightfully ...