T he Economist has already chosen a word of 2025. The winner is representative, if not of the whole year, at least of much of the feeling of living in it. It is not a new word, but it is being used in ...

Wassail — from a greeting meaning “be in good health” — evokes some kind of ancient holiday tradition. But its particulars, like the spiced beverage, can be cloudy.

Some holiday words have more than one meaning, like "trim" the tree. And some meanings have more than one word, like "gift" ...

The Russian-labeled candy bars are a reminder of how difficult it is to completely disconnect a major economy from the global ...

Discover which species star in “The 12 Days of Christmas,” how they live, and whether they’d enjoy life as unusual holiday gifts.

The print edition of Merriam-Webster was once a touchstone of authority and stability. Then the internet brought about a ...

Our modern English word "Noel" is derived from the Middle English word nowel and means "a shout of joy or Christmas song." ...

Google is upgrading Translate with Gemini-powered context-aware translations, live speech translation through headphones, and ...

Effective communication lies at the heart of human connection. It helps us collaborate with each other, solve problems and ...

Being a linguist—and someone who has tried to learn several languages (including English) in addition to my mother tongue (Flemish Dutch)—I have an annoying habit: instead of paying attention to what ...

At a time when businesses of all sizes rely on distinct, often unconventional brand names, the ruling provides clarity and ...

When fall has given way to winter and snow covers the ground while lights twinkle from house to house, you know that Christmas is coming. Christmas is one of the most important Christian and cultural ...