February TOP TWENTY

The most remarkable thing about the Top Twenty list for February might just be what's not on it: the word love. Typically, Valentine's Day causes a burst of romantic curiosity about love. This year, it's clear that other things are on the minds of dictionary users. Take a look at the full list.

Happy Birthday: 1964

Jeopardy!, the quiz show where the correct answer takes the form of a question, hit the airwaves March 20, 1964 with host Art Fleming. To mark the occasion, we collected some nouns of interest which first appeared in print in 1964 — and we present them Jeopardy! style.

Interested in the full list of 220 words that first appeared in print in 1964? Select the Collegiate as the reference, click on Advanced Search, type 1964 in the Date field, and click on Search.

Notable and Quotable: Robert Frost

Robert Frost was born March 26, 1874. The Pulitzer Prize-winner is remembered for his words on weather, beauty, and nature. The poet's words — some of them familiar to nearly every American — appear at 32 entries in the Unabridged Dictionary. Here's a sampling.

Interested in seeing examples from a favorite author in the dictionary? Select the Unabridged and click on Advanced Search. Type the author's last name in the Author field, and click Search.

Report from the Open Dictionary

Our editors aren't the only ones on the lookout for new words; our readers add words to Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary every day. When you notice a new word — on the radio, in a book or magazine, or online — and find that it's not found in any dictionary, it's probably a good candidate. Here are several recent submissions.

Just Foolin' Around

Mattel's Barbie doll was inspired by a German doll and introduced at the International Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. You won't find Barbie in the dictionary, but the 50-year-old still has her looks, and her figures would be impressive for anyone: over one billion dolls sold to date.

The Unabridged is rich in other terms naming dolls. A few, like Barbie, have international associations; another has a historical overtone; and a few terms even have negative applications. Read up on all of them.

From the Mail Server

Last month, our editors heard from someone trying to insure correctness in the dictionary and another person trying to make sense of the usage of the word graffiti. Finally, they helped someone sort through the business of comparative correlations.

Words in the News

Although it didn't break into the Top Twenty, furlough (a synonym of layoff) did get a record number of look-ups last month, as 650,000 Americans lost their jobs. Permit us to explain the connection.

Language Links

The folks at the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar have proclaimed March 4th National Grammar Day. If you've already marched forth and proclaimed yourself a grammar lover, you might want to check out their Web site, with links to more than three dozen grammar blogs, collections of headlines, and grammar tips.

Interested in more on grammar and usage? Discussions of usage controversies can be found on Paul Brians' Web site and the University of Pennsylvania's Language Log. Want more still? See our book Merriam-Webster's Concise Dictionary of English Usage.