slang

Table of Contents

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Walpole, Horace

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Student girl writing formulas on transparent wall

The Bizarre Origins of the Words Nerd and Geek

Happy, smiling, flying pig

7 Everyday English Idioms and Where They Come From

Chinese pictograph, calligraphy tablet of Huang Tingjian, a famous calligrapher in Ancient Song Dynasty. The background of Chinese cultural elements.

The World’s 5 Most Commonly Used Writing Systems

Portion of the Aleppo Codex, a manuscript of the Hebrew Bible written in the Hebrew language in the 10th century CE; in the Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem.

Why Do Languages Die?

Discover

Periodical Cicada, Adult, Magicicada spp. Requires 17 years to complete development. Nymph splits its skin, and transforms into an adult. Feeds on sap of tree roots. Northern Illinois Brood. This brood is the largest emergence of cicadas anywhere

Why Do Some Cicadas Appear Only Every 17 Years?

Amendments 1-10 to the Constitution of the United States constitute what is known as the Bill of Rights on an American flag.

What Is the Emoluments Clause?

Aurochs. Bos primigenius. Skeleton. Extinct animal. Skeleton of an Aurochs, an extinct wild ox.

6 Animals We Ate Into Extinction

Happy, smiling, flying pig

7 Everyday English Idioms and Where They Come From

Drinking water is poured into a glass.

Water Fluoridation: Just the Facts

Poker game. Card game. Royal Flush in poker. Hearts suit gambling

Poker Hands Ranked

Aspirin pills.

7 Drugs that Changed the World

slang: Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos

Walpole, Horace

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Topics

argot neologism language pronunciation lingua franca jargon writing prosody oral tradition grammar profanity universal grammar Grimm’s law

Key People

Eric Partridge

British lexicographer

Quiz

A young boy dressed in retro 1980s attire, with bow tie and eyeglasses, wears a light bulb idea invention machine to help him think of the next big idea. (nerd, nerdy, thinker) SEE CONTENT NOTES.

Are You An Idiom Savant? Quiz

YOLO "You Only Live Once" written in bright colors and repeated on a purple background (acronym, slang)

Slang Through the Ages Vocabulary Quiz

Hand with pencil writing on page. (handwriting; write)

Word Nerd Quiz