Only a true Definition Detective can spot a word’s actual meaning in a sea of fake ones. But fair warning: These are pretty tough terms.

The words historical thesaurus may send children running to the hills, for fear they’re likely to be bored to death by some fellow with a monocle. But they also describe the richest reference you’ve ...

In Definition Detective, we give you an obscure word with four possible definitions. Only one is correct-the other three we made up. Can you identify the real meaning from the fakes? Try Other ...

In Word Through The Times, we trace how one word or phrase has changed throughout the history of the newspaper. Christie’s International Ltd., based in London, is about to start operations in New York ...

Having a large vocabulary is certainly helpful. It can impress a potential employer, or it can greatly aid you in your line of work if you’re a writer. If you’re a student, it could give you some ...

Lewis Carroll didn’t just invent worlds, he also invented words. And the author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland gave old words new meaning. The most famous example may be portmanteau, a name for a ...

Children learn language effortlessly and completely voluntarily. They learn new words miraculously fast. A teenager masters about 60,000 words of their mother tongue by the time they finish high ...