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An Encyclopædia Britannica Company Merriam-Webster Logo Merriam-Webster Logo SINCE 1828 Menu Toggle GAMES & QUIZZES THESAURUS WORD OF THE DAY FEATURES SHOP Buying Guide link icon M-W Books link icon JOIN MWU * Up Down Merriam-Webster Logo MY WORDSMY WORDS Recents Icon RECENTS settings log out * LOG IN * REGISTER Merriam-Webster Logo Log in Sign Up Hello, Games & Quizzes Thesaurus Word of the Day Features Buying Guide link icon M-W Books link icon Join MWU link icon * Word List Icon My WordsMy Words * Recents Icon View Recents * Account Icon Account Log Out Mobile Menu Close Icon Search for a Word dictionary thesaurus Suggested searches: fidelity, meld, lout, vocation, behest, paradox Word lovers! Save words plus keep track of all your lookups REGISTER NOW » Word of the Day JUNE 14, 2022 festoon Listen to the pronunciation of festoon Get the definition, examples, and podcast » Get Word of the Day in your inbox! Top Lookups Right Now Next refresh: 25 seconds * 1 spaz * 2 primo * 3 LGBTQIA * 4 atone * 5 independent variable * 6 hiatus * 7 caper * 8 sentient * 9 beauty * 10 eponymous GAMES & QUIZZES View All » Challenging Words You Should Know Not a quiz for the pusillanimous Play Now » Slang Through The Ages Find out if you’re a space cadet or the bee’s knees Play Now » Up and Down Words Solve the word chain where each answer provides a clue to the next. Play Now » Yearbook Superlatives Quiz "Most Likely to Use Obscure Words" Play Now » What’s on the Menu? Sink your teeth into these questions about food. Play Now » WORDS AT PLAY View All » The Longest Long Words List Don't read this if you have hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (fear of long words). Read Now » Words of the Week - June 10 Dictionary lookups from the woods, the beach, and Gotham Read Now » One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More When a single word contains two conflicting ideas. Read Now » How the 'Ring Finger' Got Its Name 'Leech finger' doesn't have the same ring to it Read Now » The Vocabulary Test From Hell Students in 1915 knew these words. Do you? Read Now » See More » A buying guide for the best products and services 11 Games for Word Lovers » Flex your vocabulary muscles with board games for kids and adults 20 Teacher Gift Ideas » Show your appreciation with one of these thoughtful gifts selected by our Reviews team Hobby Starter Kits » Try something new with these step-by-step kits for beginners WORD USAGE & GRAMMAR View more » Words Commonly Mispronounced 18 words even you might be mispronouncing Read Now » 33 Transition Words and Phrases 'Besides,' 'furthermore,' 'although,' and other words to help you jump from one idea to the next. Read Now » What Does 'Eighty-Six' Mean? It comes from 1930s soda-counter slang meaning that an item was sold out. Read Now » Why Do We Park in the Driveway and Drive on the Parkway? Finally, the answer to one of life's enduring questions Read Now » Where Does the Expression 'Throw Someone Under the Bus' Come From? Let's blame the British Read Now » VIDEOS View All » play Volume 90% Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts Keyboard Shortcuts play/pause increase volume decrease volume seek forwards seek backwards toggle captions toggle fullscreen mute/unmute seek to % SPACE ↑ ↓ → ← c f m 0-9 OffEnglish Live 00:00 00:00 00:00 'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'? play 'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'? play A Look at Uncommon Onomatopoeia play How a Word Gets into the Dictionary play An Abbreviated History of American English Spelling TIME TRAVELER Find words from the year you were born … and beyond! Select a year2021202020182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966196519641963196219611960195919581957195619551954195319521951195019491948194719461945194419431942194119401939193819371936193519341933193219311930192919281927192619251924192319221921192019191918191719161915191419131912191119101909190819071906190519041903190219011900189918981897189618951894189318921891189018891888188718861885188418831882188118801879187818771876187518741873187218711870186918681867186618651864186318621861186018591858185718561855185418531852185118501849184818471846184518441843184218411840183918381837183618351834183318321831183018291828182718261825182418231822182118201819181818171816181518141813181218111810180918081807180618051804180318021801180017991798179717961795179417931792179117901789178817871786178517841783178217811780177917781777177617751774177317721771177017691768176717661765176417631762176117601759175817571756175517541753175217511750174917481747174617451744174317421741174017391738173717361735173417331732173117301729172817271726172517241723172217211720171917181717171617151714171317121711171017091708170717061705170417031702170117001699169816971696169516941693169216911690168916881687168616851684168316821681168016791678167716761675167416731672167116701669166816671666166516641663166216611660165916581657165616551654165316521651165016491648164716461645164416431642164116401639163816371636163516341633163216311630162916281627162616251624162316221621162016191618161716161615161416131612161116101609160816071606160516041603160216011600159915981597159615951594159315921591159015891588158715861585158415831582158115801579157815771576157515741573157215711570156915681567156615651564156315621561156015591558155715561555155415531552155115501549154815471546154515441543154215411540153915381537153615351534153315321531153015291528152715261525152415231522152115201519151815171516151515141513151215111510150915081507150615051504150315021501150015th century14th century13th century12th centurybefore 12th centurySelect a year APPS FROM MERRIAM-WEBSTER MERRIAM-WEBSTER DICTIONARY Take America's most trusted dictionary wherever you go PUKU: LEARN NEW WORDS For kids 8-12 PODCASTS WORD OF THE DAY From the fun and familiar to the strange and obscure, learn something new everyday with Merriam-Webster Apple Podcasts WORD MATTERS Join Merriam-Webster editors as they challenge supposed grammar rules, reveal the surprising origins behind words, tackle common questions, and generally geek out about the beautiful nightmare that is language. 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