American football, the game played at the Super Bowl, where a foot is rarely used to direct the ball. And elsewhere in the ...

It's not just the quintessential corporate jargon word. "Synergy" goes back hundreds of years, with history in Christianity, ...

Here's the arresting truth about your go-to word for police officers ...

Beacon Journal readers ask about the origin of common sayings such as ‘getting off scot-free’ and ‘a chip off the old block.’ ...

Child neglect is the most common form of maltreatment, involving failure to provide basic needs or proper supervision, often difficult to define precisely. Originating from Latin meaning “not to heed, ...

They got into a war of words Wednesday in Monongalia County Schools — but it wasn't a bad thing. In fact, academically speaking, it was a good thing. Lexicon-warriors from across the district, along ...

An illustration of a magnifying glass. An illustration of a magnifying glass.

January 21, 2026 • In this installment of NPR's "Word of the Week" series we trace the origins of the "cravat" (borrowed from the French "cravate") back to the battlefields of 17th century Europe.