Wordplay: For the Love of Language

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url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/alt-65fc99d1567f2-11337-6a0a2aa100ddfe3b0a894680d984f2fd@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="alt-65fc99d1567f2" alt="alt-65fc99d1567f2" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"></div> </div> <div class="pt-3 pb-2 pe-4 ps-4"> <h3 class="teaser-title">Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine</h3> <div class="teaser-desc">Raise a glass to some full-bodied vocabulary.</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item col-md-3 col-sm-6 col-12"> <a class="d-block text-decoration-none h-100" href="/wordplay/obscure-musical-instrument-words"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <div 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Who cooks for you all? We do!</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item col-md-3 col-sm-6 col-12"> <a class="d-block text-decoration-none h-100" href="/wordplay/words-that-used-to-mean-something-different"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <div data-background-image-set="url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/sweet%20smart%20pug%20puppy%20dog%20sitting%20in%20front%20of%20blackboard%20with%20chalk%20question%20marks-10965-f4c4a04e5a3c8ecabcaa464282b83f98@1x.jpg) 1x, url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/sweet%20smart%20pug%20puppy%20dog%20sitting%20in%20front%20of%20blackboard%20with%20chalk%20question%20marks-10965-f4c4a04e5a3c8ecabcaa464282b83f98@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks" alt="sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"></div> </div> <div class="pt-3 pb-2 pe-4 ps-4"> <h3 class="teaser-title">15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different</h3> <div class="teaser-desc">Including the secret history of 'secretary'</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item col-md-3 col-sm-6 col-12"> <a class="d-block text-decoration-none h-100" href="/wordplay/10-words-for-obscure-games-and-sports"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <div data-background-image-set="url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/alt-6585be58d91b3-11082-9e3c26fe5a0bc7134a72470dd9ee471a@1x.jpg) 1x, url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/alt-6585be58d91b3-11082-9e3c26fe5a0bc7134a72470dd9ee471a@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="alt-6585be58d91b3" alt="alt-6585be58d91b3" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"></div> </div> <div class="pt-3 pb-2 pe-4 ps-4"> <h3 class="teaser-title">10 Words for Lesser-Known Games and Sports</h3> <div class="teaser-desc">Are you ready for some stoolball?</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item col-md-3 col-sm-6 col-12"> <a class="d-block text-decoration-none h-100" href="/wordplay/ten-words-in-band-names"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <div data-background-image-set="url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/alt-6568a8283b350-10966-64e49b7b9d5ff6345c7a79c2f643ff73@1x.jpg) 1x, url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/alt-6568a8283b350-10966-64e49b7b9d5ff6345c7a79c2f643ff73@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="alt-6568a8283b350" alt="alt-6568a8283b350" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"></div> </div> <div class="pt-3 pb-2 pe-4 ps-4"> <h3 class="teaser-title">Your Favorite Band is in the Dictionary</h3> <div class="teaser-desc">10 bands you can look up and queue up</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item col-md-3 col-sm-6 col-12"> <a class="d-block text-decoration-none h-100" href="/wordplay/words-for-lazy-people-and-laziness"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <div data-background-image-set="url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/cat%20sleeping%20upside%20down%20on%20sofa-10261-e763d83d3b4283ac2b6dc9c98b166756@1x.jpg) 1x, url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/cat%20sleeping%20upside%20down%20on%20sofa-10261-e763d83d3b4283ac2b6dc9c98b166756@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="cat sleeping upside down on sofa" alt="cat sleeping upside down on sofa" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"></div> </div> <div class="pt-3 pb-2 pe-4 ps-4"> <h3 class="teaser-title">Words for Lazy People and Laziness</h3> <div class="teaser-desc">Indolence, Malingerer, Draffsack: the right word for when you just don't have the energy</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="wap-ad-area-placeholder"></div> <div class="row"> <div class="col"> <div class="content-section-promos content-section-with-header mb-5 mt-5"> <div class="content-section-header content-section-border-gold"> <div class="d-flex align-items-center"> <h2>Word Choices</h2> </div> </div> <div class="content-section-body"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list row"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item wap-categories-media-list-item-sm custom-col-length col mb-5"> <a class="d-block h-100 text-decoration-none" href="/video/word-choices-gabrielle-zevin"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <img class="video-player-icon" src="/dist-cross-dungarees/2024-11-25--16-12-55-ndopr/images/svg/video-player.svg"> <div data-background-image-set="url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/novelist%20gabrielle%20zevin%20with%20her%20book%20tomorrow%20and%20tomorrow%20and%20tomorrow-10786-68263da74c7b410a267a97f3a0fecbfa@1x.jpg) 1x, url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/novelist%20gabrielle%20zevin%20with%20her%20book%20tomorrow%20and%20tomorrow%20and%20tomorrow-10786-68263da74c7b410a267a97f3a0fecbfa@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="novelist gabrielle zevin with her book tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" alt="novelist gabrielle zevin with her book tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"></div> </div> <div class="teaser-content-box"> <h3 class="teaser-title">Gabrielle Zevin</h3> <div class="teaser-text">Novelist</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item wap-categories-media-list-item-sm custom-col-length col mb-5"> <a class="d-block h-100 text-decoration-none" href="/video/word-choices-emily-flake"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <img class="video-player-icon" src="/dist-cross-dungarees/2024-11-25--16-12-55-ndopr/images/svg/video-player.svg"> <div data-background-image-set="url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/silhouette%20of%20cartoonist%20emily%20flake%20with%20one%20of%20her%20new%20yorker%20cartoons%20showing%20a%20lion%20working%20at%20an%20office%20desk-10781-0e87c301960afcefc344b453b58243c0@1x.jpg) 1x, url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/silhouette%20of%20cartoonist%20emily%20flake%20with%20one%20of%20her%20new%20yorker%20cartoons%20showing%20a%20lion%20working%20at%20an%20office%20desk-10781-0e87c301960afcefc344b453b58243c0@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="silhouette of cartoonist emily flake with one of her new yorker cartoons showing a lion working at an office desk" alt="silhouette of cartoonist emily flake with one of her new yorker cartoons showing a lion working at an office desk" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"></div> </div> <div class="teaser-content-box"> <h3 class="teaser-title">Emily Flake</h3> <div class="teaser-text">New Yorker Cartoonist</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item wap-categories-media-list-item-sm custom-col-length col mb-5"> <a class="d-block h-100 text-decoration-none" href="/video/word-choices-celeste-ng"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <img class="video-player-icon" src="/dist-cross-dungarees/2024-11-25--16-12-55-ndopr/images/svg/video-player.svg"> <div data-background-image-set="url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/novelist%20celest%20ng%20with%20her%20book%20our%20missing%20heart-10785-382d303bf47be5b66b2f62a3328ce755@1x.jpg) 1x, url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/novelist%20celest%20ng%20with%20her%20book%20our%20missing%20heart-10785-382d303bf47be5b66b2f62a3328ce755@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="novelist celest ng with her book our missing heart" alt="novelist celest ng with her book our missing heart" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; 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background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"></div> </div> <div class="teaser-content-box"> <h3 class="teaser-title">Eli Cymet</h3> <div class="teaser-text">Video Game Writer/Producer, Cuphead</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item wap-categories-media-list-item-sm custom-col-length col mb-5"> <a class="d-block h-100 text-decoration-none" href="/video/word-choices-emma-straub"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <img class="video-player-icon" src="/dist-cross-dungarees/2024-11-25--16-12-55-ndopr/images/svg/video-player.svg"> <div data-background-image-set="url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/emma%20straub%20novelist%20and%20childrens%20book%20writer%20with%20her%20book%20very%20good%20hats-10783-62ebd34693fd9a9cc266acaa670e0ec7@1x.jpg) 1x, url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/emma%20straub%20novelist%20and%20childrens%20book%20writer%20with%20her%20book%20very%20good%20hats-10783-62ebd34693fd9a9cc266acaa670e0ec7@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="emma straub novelist and childrens book writer with her book very good hats" alt="emma straub novelist and childrens book writer with her book very good hats" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; background-size: cover; background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat;"></div> </div> <div class="teaser-content-box"> <h3 class="teaser-title">Emma Straub</h3> <div class="teaser-text">Novelist and Children鈥檚 Book Author</div> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row"> <div class="col"> <div class="content-section-promos content-section-with-header mb-5 mt-5"> <div class="content-section-header content-section-border-gold"> <div class="d-flex align-items-center"> <h2>Arts & Culture</h2> <div class="ms-auto"> <a class="wap-see-all-link-btn fw-bold text-decoration-none d-flex justify-content-center align-items-center" href="/wordplay/arts-and-culture"> <span class="me-3">See All</span> <span class="wap-see-all-link-icon"></span> </a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="content-section-body"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list row"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item wap-categories-media-list-item-sm custom-col-length col mb-5"> <a class="d-block h-100 text-decoration-none" href="/wordplay/the-words-of-the-week-nov-22"> <div class="wap-categories-media-list-item-content h-100"> <div class="wap-categories-img-container position-relative"> <div data-background-image-set="url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/alt-673ca81cb4eb2-11833-6d1fb7e2159da5c3bb0ae18831be615c@1x.jpg) 1x, url(https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/images/omni/omni-4x3-457x343/alt-673ca81cb4eb2-11833-6d1fb7e2159da5c3bb0ae18831be615c@2x.jpg) 2x" aria-label="alt-673ca81cb4eb2" alt="alt-673ca81cb4eb2" role="image" class="lazyload-container lazyload ratio-4-3" style="opacity: 1; 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