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Word History

The History of 'Cynic'

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

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The History of 'Cynic'

 

How an ancient philosophical movement devoted to the pursuit of virtue came to describe eye-rolling criticism.

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The Schwa

 

The most common vowel sound in English causes many spelling problems.

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Further vs. Farther

 

They started as same word, but their meanings have drifted apart over time.

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Sneaked vs. Snuck

 

How the irregular 'snuck' sneaked into the dictionary

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'Mispronunciations' That May Be Fine

 

'Mischievous,' 'nuclear,' and other words to pronounce with caution.

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Affect vs. Effect

 

Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.

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Lay vs. Lie

 

Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.

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