columbia ladies jacket

nanette lepore santa cruz jacket

los angeles hood jacket

fbi raid jacket

analog additive jacket

dc girls avalanche jacket

oak hill tweed jacket

breathing apparatus for coal miners

pumps red jacket

beachs near pikeville ky

columbia trinity triclimate jacket

bomber jacket for a motocycle ride

laguna

jacket restyle

discount biker jacket

womens polartec gamma mx jacket

what countrys are rainforest located at

puma biker jacket

f-22 raptor program jacket

motorcycle touring jacket

allen black boss

apex jacket

setting up your own ns server

alpine sky jacket

spyder jacket replacement components

astrologers on supernova

philadelphia eagle jacket

employee turnover calculation ppt

skunk funk luzaide jacket

m cayenne sod triclimate jacket sale

keren hart jacket

red leather fringe motorcycle jacket

brown leather distressed motorcycle jacket

full metal jacket clip

auburn cord dusenburg museum

knitted rabbit fur jacket

reviews of rockgardn flak jacket

mountain hardwear chill factor jacket

womens joe rocket motorcycle jacket

alpha tif

stylist barber jacket

estimated fica and medicare quarterly payment

onyx welding jacket

balancing rc dragonfly

lightweight insulated jacket

susan brandt

rusty wallace twill jacket jh

pagemaker program

customized rhrinestone jean jacket airbrush

firstgear kilimanjaro leather jacket

fedex work jacket

grenfell jacket

pattern sew jacket hood

harley davidson rumble cotton garage jacket

rodney

ann taylor jacquard jacket

packable into pocket youth jacket

yellow jacket 830 filters

hicks

elie tahari liza jacket

suite

sew a sweatshirt jacket

irvin b foster sportswear jacket

leather air force flying jacket

raf irvin jacket photo

guy jacket with girlfriend pockets inside

super soft life jacket dog

who switched off my brain book

pvc jelly jacket

charles river apparel enterprise jacket

denim and twill jacket

school varsity jacket

reversible jacket and 6-in-one and girls

waterproofing treatment jacket

red kap jacket

w natasha jacket northface

honda crv srs light

fly trap yellow jacket wasp jar

back forty decatur indiana

rhyno x-1 jacket rhyno x-1 jacket

baton rouge high letter jacket

alberto arvelo e imelda rincon finol

jacket for rain

fleece jacket wolves

womens the north face denali jacket

burton dutchess snowboard jacket

daz mimic 3.1

columbia mens jacket

1 nylon harley davidson jacket womans

izod jacket

colorado jacket by vanson

ryan coe valencia

j kara embroidered dress jacket

mexican restaurants in alpharetta ga

quality leather jacket

jockey jacket patterns

wool tweed jacket

a2 leather jacket

leather bomber jacket side straps

representative b smith az

harley davidson cascade jacket 2w

frederick reiken the odd sea

rjays jacket

army leather jacket

compress

blue jean motorcycle jacket

north face youth jacket

dc property taxation

jacket sweatshirt pattern

phyllis swonk

berne jacket ladies

yellow jacket in wall

north face mens dolo jacket

bacterial contamination at retention ponds

mens northface jacket

flourescent breathable bomber jacket

Merriam-Webster on Twitter

Follow Merriam-Webster on Twitter for daily observations about language and words in the news, including insights into the most looked up words on Merriam-Webster.com and discourse on new words and language trends. Receive tweets about fresh editorial content on the newly redesigned Merriam-Webster.com, with features like Trend Watch and Word Well Used, which highlights interesting vocabulary effectively used by the world's leading news and entertainment publications.


September 2010

Summer Top Twenty

It was a long, hot summer – and one very rich in vocabulary! The most looked-up word all summer was a word that is not in the dictionary: refudiate, the malaprop used by former Gov. Sarah Palin on television and Twitter. The word caused much comment and provoked much research – putting the word repudiate in the Summer Top Twenty as well. Unsurprisingly, the Gulf oil spill and blockbuster films also provided some of the summer's biggest lookups.

Word History of the Month: conundrum

bam magera jacket

nike brown track jacket

lady vashj loot

andy kim nehru jacket picture

holloway titan jacket

14 k earring jacket hoop

toilet tank jacket

reefer close fitting jacket

free fanfare lasst uns erfreuen

full zip fleece jacket

christian winter jacket

leather jacket love story download movie

candaian sli patrol jacket forsale

cardinals track jacket

girls jacket

corduroy winter jacket women

triton 205 walleye boat for sale

todder girl jean jacket

mens under armour frostbreak jacket

winter flight jacket

obermeyer metro jacket review

fleece hunting jacket

treatment of yellow jacket sting

guc232a usb rs232 port linux driver

a j foyt jacket

columbia zen jacket

battle mtn fireworks

life jacket gps gprs

lether and wool jacket

hinton associates tulsa

checkerboard leaves jacket

angelique series quakers

open road leather jacket

black orange system jacket

pcr collections

chocolat dog pink and black jacket

dainese gator jacket

m6 snowboard jacket

emergency broadcast

moschino graphic japan jacket

2x denhim jacket

g i t leather jacket

kenneth cole reaction down jacket

lightweight denim jacket

sleeveless

jacket leather

stochastic parameter determination

1812 costume red jacket white cord

purple jacket

pearl izumi barrier jacket

adidas adistar cps jacket

cs general shell jacket patterns

gordan basement door company

yellow jacket connectors

bridesmaid dress with jacket

columbia eagle rock jacket boys

mens winter jacket

amore andrea bocelli music yahoo shopping

suede motorcycle jacket women

gh message board invision

northern lifestyles jacket

sam elliot clark college

kasey kane budweiser jacket

quiksilver candide thovex jacket

dj caspar cha cha slide

leather jacket importer

umbro jacket

event jacket review

us coast guard orange jacket

men bomber jacket

polaris jacket

motorcycle jacket minneapolis

ripping open her expensive jacket

abercrombie helen sweater jacket red

mendocino college ukiah

jacket roll

columbia usc black jacket

early numbering system armenian

waxed jacket

ed hardy zipper jacket

red jacket motel

neon childrens jacket

straight jacket clipart

north face purple womens jacket

catv descrambler converter box

columbia sportswear womens plus jacket

khaki cropped jacket

windows scripting addison wesley

rich boy jacket diamonds dollar signs

snakeskin jacket

arming jacket pattern

phonics

minnesota life jacket laws

mens linen jacket xl

celibi jacket

bdu jacket

olympia high visibility jacket

molds

red carhart jacket

schott jacket

yellow jacket larson wi

louisiana creole gumbo restaurant

hand woven rectangular jacket

keisha

jessica howard beaded jacket dress

suture

le chameau diane jacket

leather biker jacket

remington jacket

g unit reverside jacket

child jacket

The word conundrum is a perennial on the Top 20 list – including this summer's list. Many words that are among the most looked-up on a daily basis are abstract terms with classical roots (think integrity or ubiquitous). Conundrum would seem to fit right in with them. But does it? Something about the word is unsettling – enough for people to be constantly looking it up – and perhaps a bit mysterious.

Notable and Quotable: D.H. Lawrence

D.H. Lawrence was born September 11, 1885. Long troubled by ill health, the poet, critic, and novelist (Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Sons and Lovers) died at 44. Samples of his writing appear at some five dozen entries in the Unbridged, the more colorful of them included here. (When was the last time you encountered "everywhere" used as a noun?).

Interested in seeing all the examples of a particular writer? Select the Collegiate or the Unabridged as your reference, click on Advanced Search, type in the surname of the writer in the Author Quoted box, and click on Search.

hand painted sweatshirt jacket

alfred dunner cider jacket

j crew jacket

wild hogs jacket

high pay job no exp

this is genevieve sequin jacket

valentino

thick moose jacket

brigade outfitters

puma duffle jacket

comparison political candidates

what is a yellow jacket

vinyl cd jacket storage

ford open driveshaft conversion

green bay packers stadium jacket

barov peasant caller

azure sport jacket

russian diecast

columbia titanium interchangable red grey jacket

denim jacket by alaska woods

tencel jean jacket

mexico warmup jacket

colorful jacket cuffs and collars

american apparel track jacket

authentic b3 bomber jacket

hrvatska roman tunic

north face womens ski jacket

nasa jacket

star wars galaxy crest track jacket

the functions of the telephones

ultimate rider leather jacket

lao

ron hill summit jacket

how fast does celexa work

quilted jacket patterns

spencer jacket

frigidaire

mens krishna silk jacket

flashback jacket

hot water cylinder jacket uk

barbour sutherland shooting jacket

water heater jacket

skyler atkinson

jordan letterman jacket

patch adams lars

quilt art jacket

faux fur lined jacket

letterman jacket sailor collar

australia magazine silver jacket

women pantsuit crop jacket high waist

mountain horse body guard jacket uk

coach jacket

meatloaf good eats

what is a book jacket report

motorcycle jacket leather tall

footjoy rain jacket women

descente shelter jacket

iceberg lake

mountain hardwear chill factor fleece jacket

university of illinois columbia jacket

favorites

cheer dance jacket

greece jacket

goatskin jacket

seltzer

carhartt rain jacket

free full metal jacket ringtones

babys mattinee jacket knitting pattern

vocational

burton 3 2 jasmine jacket

columbia sportswear women plus jacket

apple ipod warrentee

indiana jones jacket

billabong speed racer snowboard jacket women

stearns infant life jacket reviews

reversible apical perfusion defect treatment

nascar 50th anniversary leather jacket

probability per hour

motorcycle jacket comparisons

jersey jacket

steam errors when overclocking

first gear sentry jacket ratings reviews

corset jacket

barracuda style jacket

etiquette invitation response wedding

finisher jacket for boston marathon

boars head meats lagrange kentucky

carhartt j97 jacket large brown

fake oakleys half jacket

military jacket eisenhower

essays francais boucher pastoral

yellow jacket vacuum oil

tapping head australia

sunflower denim shirt or jacket

definition dispersion

crochet magazine romantic jacket

iphone jam jacket

north face jacket discount

silk smoking jacket

why green jacket masters

woolrich tactical jacket

connector voltage isolation dielectric insulator calculation

treating yellow jacket stings

ca income tax deductions developmental disability

hot pink bomber jacket

perth complimentary tea and coffee

planet eclipse 08 compton track jacket

polartec 200 jacket

how to tailor a jacket

sally carrera sun shade

leopard daisy tierra royal jacket

full metal jacket dialog

columbia sportswear 3in1 jacket womens

xelement leather motorcycle jacket

tweed womens jacket

routine

1970 s air force jacket

dial evaporative accessories

north face varius guide jacket

hit air motorcycle vest jacket dicount

From the Mail Server

This month, editors heard from someone zealous about the need to add a new word to the lexicon, from another person looking for the rich story behind the word cheapskate, and from a set of correspondents eager to understand the rule that distinguishes vowels from consonants.

Happy Birthday 1666

The Great Fire of London began raging on September 2, 1666. By the time the fire ended three days later, St. Paul's Cathedral, more than 13,000 houses, and dozens of churches had been destroyed. A new London (with less wood) arose from the ashes.

The year of the Great Fire also witnessed the first print appearance of 65 words in English that appear in the Collegiate Dictionary. We can see the expanding worlds of science and discovery reflected in these words from fields such as astronomy, mathematics, and medicine.

Interested in seeing all 65 words that first appeared in print in 1666? Choose the Collegiate as your reference source and select Date from the pull-down menu. Type in the date and click on Search.

Words in the News

Sarah Palin sent this message out on Twitter on July 18: "Ground Zero mosque supporters: doesn't it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful Muslims, pls refudiate." This sent refudiate to the top of the Top Twenty for the summer.

mossi hemisphere jacket

letter mans jacket in houston

beth halel messianic synagogue

mens bomber jacket mens m

lighted disney jacket

louise vahey 935 brookvale ter

f1 jacket

patriotic sweatshirt jacket project

boating jacket

cabi aspen jacket

intake

womens leather jacket

tiger satin jacket

quiksilver boys jacket

volcom swindel jacket

1st masters green jacket

ellow jacket wasp

3xl starter jacket

ski jacket uk

foot cubes uk

blue jacket books

leather jacket zxi

adidas jacket beckenbauer tt white gold

shield storm heavyweight team jacket steelers

ftd edible arrangements

kakadu pilbara jacket

feng shui information

men denim jacket

stuff

patagonia fleece jacket

mens yellow jacket

north face artic parker jacket

silk wedding flower topiary arrangements

nitro mesh jacket

mike chris maxwell jacket

vinyl shower stalls

mountain hardwear flip jacket

red jacket inn yarmouth ma

49ers jacket

chalk line satin baseball jacket 4t

denim c-3 corvette varsity jacket

boyfriend jacket stella mccartney

restore

wrangler denim jacket coat

shenandoah university in winchester va

ralph lauren denim jacket

missing dust jacket new hardcover book

pacer corperation custer south dakota

swanndri lewis shooting jacket

psychosocial treatments bioplar

the north face 3-in-1 jacket

fedora lounge g 1 jacket

trd jacket

tax implications of enron settlement

vfp cable jacket

wwii russians occupy neuchatel switzerland

patagonia figure 4 jacket review

winter jacket and kids

kayaks

sessions lateral jacket

insert

buttoning a suit jacket

armani collezioni organza blouse jacket

inlux north face jacket

5.11 tactical fleece jacket

yuseong blazer jacket

italy soccer jacket

dickie girl mechanic jacket hot pink

brand name alaska woods jean jacket

1987 kubrick film jacket

leather wool and lambskin jacket

ll bean penobscot jacket review

staging miami

agv stinger jacket

yellow jacket gages

fox boys puffer jacket

light weight rain jacket

mens 50s costume plaid jacket

is fidelius health insurance statewide

mens smoking jacket uk

tuff rider star jacket

malcolm budd

jacket water repelling

enrollment

oragami jacket pattern

how to clean leather jacket

croft barrow leather jacket 2x

sewing jacket lining

beaded jacket separates

north face diad jacket

queen latifah gifts

womens shirt jacket maroon

kids leather motorcycle jacket

bultaco leather jacket

michael buble babalu signed autographed rare

naturalife hooded jacket

bicycle jacket

mighty mac boys jacket

gemma jacket by velvet

spidi netline textile jacket

mansions

black stallion stryker fr jacket

elvis post office commemorative jacket

jobe yellow jacket sluice box

full metal jacket sound bite

baby surprise jacket free pattern

stormtech jacket

medium weight jacket women

tiger ridge ga

frostbyte pullover jacket

involvement Why the buzz? For starters, refudiate is not (yet) in the dictionary. Then there was the controversy over subsequent tweets from Gov. Palin, first changing refudiate to repudiate, and then defending her coinage, invoking Shakespeare: "English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to coin new words too. Got to celebrate it!"

Language watchers debated whether refudiate was a portmanteau or a malapropism. The blend is easy to figure out (refute or refuse + repudiate). But what's the story on malapropism?

Just Foolin' Around

Christopher Nolan's hit movie Inception propelled the word inception to #2 on the Summer Top Twenty. The word inception – which stresses the notion of commencing or beginning without any implication about cause – has an ancestor in capere, Latin for to take. Taking a minute to fool around with the Latin verb capere turns up more than three dozen other English words with capere in their background.

Language Links

Interest in refudiate reminds us of the eggcorn. An eggcorn is a sort of "nonce folk etymology" coinage – a word coined through a logical reshaping of an unfamiliar word. For example, someone who has never seen the word acorn in print might well guess the word is eggcorn from its pronunciation. Eggcorns, unlike malapropisms, make sense. But unlike words coined through folk etymology, eggcorns are not recognized as "real" words. (For more on malapropisms and Folk Etymology, just click on those highlighted words in the previous sentence.)

For a list of common eggcorns, check out the Eggcorn Database. The "About" section includes an explanation distinguishing eggcorns from folk etymology and mondegreens (some time ago Language Links featured links to collections of the related mondegreen).


Back to Top