Q. How is funner a word? Is it simply in the online dictionary because it is a widely used term? My English teacher said it is not a word; if not, why is it in the dictionary?

A. Words are selected for the dictionary based on their level of usage in the English language. We maintain at our office a large file of citations of words taken from books, periodicals, and other professionally edited sources. Using these citations, we can determine the level of usage of a word and how long it has been used. Words that demonstrate frequent usage or usage that spans a long rate of time are more likely to be entered.

Although usage of the inflected forms funner and funnest is questioned by many usage commentators, a review of usage shows that both forms are used consistently in mainstream English, and for that reason they are included in the dictionary. Usage of these forms tends to be restricted to casual or informal contexts, such as spoken English. More formal contexts tend to rely on more fun/most fun. In the entry for fun (adjective) in our Collegiate Dictionary, the label "sometimes" is placed in front of the inflected forms funner and funnest to indicate that they do not occur as frequently in English as more fun/most fun.

Q. I notice both canceled and cancelled are included in the dictionary. What's the rule on when each should be used?

A. The two spellings are both considered correct, and it is a matter of personal preference which one you use. Dictionaries base their information according to how the language is used. In the case of canceled and cancelled, both spellings occur with equal frequency. This is indicated in the entry by the use of the word "or."

Q. I could find the word murder meaning "a number of crows" in only one dictionary. Nevertheless, it is used today in the title "A Crow Left of the Murder" on a track by the music group "Incubus." Is this usage too questionable to be accepted by Merriam-Webster?

A. A modern-day zoologist probably wouldn't write about "a murder of crows" or "a crash of rhinos," but according to James Lipton (author of An Exaltation of Larks) such collective nouns are authentic old terms for groups of animals. Today these words are almost never encountered outside of word lists and question-and-answer games. For that reason, they're not entered in most general-use dictionaries—they're simply too rare.

Lipton writes that such terms have their roots in the medieval age; they were first compiled in social primers, sometimes called "Books of Courtesy." These books were the etiquette manuals of the day, designed to give people an overview of the subjects they would need to be well versed in to gain social acceptance. The manuals covered a number of subjects, but animals that were hunted (or hunted with) made up perhaps the largest and most important section. In most of the books, this section contained a list or glossary of accepted terms associated with animals.

Why crows were given "murder" as a group term isn't completely clear. It has been suggested that the choice has its origin in the fact that the birds are a funereal black, and will eat carrion, sometimes not waiting for the victim to die before starting their meal. Or perhaps "murder" relates to the birds' screaming cry. Obviously, it is a fanciful, imaginative name.

The more pedestrian "flock of crows" is more common in general use today.