Give Merriam Webster the Year You Were Born and They’ll Give You the Hot New Words From Then

Merriam-Webster is giving us all one more way to judge just how much we’ve aged with a new “time traveler” engine on the dictionary brand’s website. Just plug in your birth year, and they’ll show you all the words that were first used in print that year. It’s worth noting that the “First Known Use Date” that they’re going with doesn’t, of course, take into account how long a word was already accepted as part of the spoken vernacular. Rather, it’s based on when it was first published in a print story, journal, article or similar.

All dictionary word entries have notes identifying their origins; many of our words date back to the Old English or Middle English periods. But we’re now in the Modern English period, which goes back to 1500. And thanks to Merriam-Webster’s impressively-organized time traveling engine, we can identify the exact evolution of language year to year.

Most Popular from TIME

While it’s fun to see just what was popping up in language when you were born — “bestie” in 1991, anyone? — it’s also interesting to jump back even further to track our English development. For instance, at the turn of the 20th century words like “tote bag,” “never-never land” and “milk chocolate” entered the dictionary. Move up to 1950 and “Big Brotherism,” “mug shot” and “multimedia” enter the conversation. More recent years have far fewer entries; the only addition to our vocabulary in 2015 was apparently “ aquafaba ,” the liquid that results when beans are cooked in water.

Their portal goes back to the 13th century and before, so you can also check out plenty of older entries.

Merriam-Webster’s latest tool has caught the attention of the internet, where people are eager to share the results of their own birth year word discoveries. Language often influences the way we perceive our world, after all; it’s worth paying attention to the ways our views were shaped by the verbal era we entered.

"website" WOW MERRIAM WEBSTER I HAVE NEVER FELT OLDER. https://t.co/dAlCst8P04 — Eric Stern (@EricWStern) October 25, 2018
good year @MerriamWebster pic.twitter.com/caYlSqTuMe — the slunch (@PenisWright) October 26, 2018
Enjoying this selection of words from my birth year on the @MerriamWebster Time Traveler... "air quotes" https://t.co/YnJtkndLyg pic.twitter.com/jEAexCNURR — Imogen Ruth (@ImogenRH) October 26, 2018

More Must-Reads From TIME

  • Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
  • Passengers Are Flying up to 30 Hours to See Four Minutes of the Eclipse
  • Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
  • Essay: The Complicated Dread of Early Spring
  • Why Walking Isn’t Enough When It Comes to Exercise
  • The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
  • The Best TV Shows to Watch on Peacock
  • Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Write to Raisa Bruner at [email protected]

You May Also Like

Find anything you save across the site in your account

Time-Travelling with Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary

time travel feature merriam webster

By Elif Batuman

Image may contain Book Text and Diary

I like to think that I know a lot of words, but I definitely don’t know all of them. The other day I came across a new one, on page 2 of Michael Robbins’s new book, “ Equipment for Living ,” in a quote from the critic Kenneth Burke: “Surely the most highly alembicated and sophisticated work of art, arising in complex civilizations, could be considered as designed to organize and command the army of one’s thoughts and images.” I did not feel, at first, that I had to look up “alembicated,” because it was clear from the context that the word basically meant “sophisticated,” and also because I knew that an alembic was some kind of glassware, and this seemed, at the time, like enough knowledge. But then I came to a second instance: “I assume that what Burke says about poetry applies, mutatis mutandis, to the songs of Def Leppard, though they are hardly alembicated at all.” This usage sounded somehow more specific than the first, and it made me realize that I didn’t know the lyrics to even one Def Leppard song. Now I felt inadequate, and had to Google something.

I thought for a while about which to investigate, Def Leppard or “alembicated,” and decided on the latter. Indeed, it basically meant “sophisticated,” like something boiled for a long time in an alembic, or, to quote Merriam-Webster , “overrefined as if by excessive distillation.” Then, just as I was about to leave the dictionary’s Web site, I noticed something new: next to the earliest known year that a word appears in print—for “alembicated,” 1786—Merriam-Webster now offers a link to a list of all the other words that were first used in the same year. The feature is called Time Traveler, and it has indeed enabled me to travel in time, because once I start looking at it I find that hours have passed. What could be more bewitching than to see, under a given year , all the words that it birthed, like a squirming litter of word-kittens? In an effort to save the public some of the time I myself have lost in this fashion, I will endeavor to summarize my findings.

The year-by-year lists start with 1500, the rich vintage that gave us “backside,” “brownie,” “cadaver,” “civil law,” and “haircloth.” The fifteenth, fourteenth, thirteenth, and twelfth centuries each have their own lists, as does the catchall “before 12th century,” notable for its outmoded Anglo-Saxon administrative vocabulary—“ wapentake ,” “ witenagemot ”—and for a charming, antiquated term for vocabulary itself: “word-hoard.” Time Traveler comes to a stop in the arids of 2010, a year with only two entries: “Arab Spring” and “gamification.”

One pleasure of searching the lists, I discovered, is to look for apparent anachronisms. I took a childish delight in seeing that “outgoing,” “marshmallow,” and “weird” predate the twelfth century, and that “hamster” and “housecat” both date to 1607. (This fine Shakespearean year also gives us “Banquo,” “flotsam,” “large-hearted,” “Machiavellianism,” “marmot,” and “melancholia.”) “Quixotic” and “Shakespeareana” don’t appear until 1718, in conjunction with “American,” “Franklin stove,” “Hobbesian,” “joint-stock company,” “pukka,” and “unelected”: one feels one is in the age of expansion and imperialism. The first year of the American Revolution, 1775, brings “anti-American,” “free speech,” “Indian grass,” “insurgent,” and “liberalize.” Then, in 1776, a premonitory alphabetic run: “shotgun,” “slaveholder,” “slough of despond.”

In 1790, the year after the French Revolution, “guillotine,” “exterminatory,” “furore,” “sansculotte,” and, ominously, “ lamppost ” enter the fray. The Civil War years see into print “anthrax,” “anti-draft,” “mortarman,” “Old Glory,” and “rebel yell,” as well as “vibrator” and “Wiener schnitzel,” because every era is too complex to allow easy generalization. In 1887, we get “trench warfare” and “department store,” “helicopter” and “mujahideen,” “screwy” and “Statue of Liberty”; 1914 ushers in, all at once, “atomic bomb,” “bad guy,” “Bolshevik,” “gas gangrene,” and “newsreel,” but also “pillow talk” and “raw bar”—life, for some, goes on.

By 1937 (“blitzkrieg,” “scorched earth,” “show trial”), I found myself obsessively combing the lists for strings of found poetry:

boo-boo, borscht belt, B picture, bubble gum, bubkes hydroponics, hyperrealism, ice-cream headache tsk, Turing machine, twinset washateria, widow’s walk, women’s room, yeti

The nineteen-sixties roll around with “after-party,” “diazepam,” and “funny farm.” Every time, it seems, was always the best of times and the worst of times—the time of “Jack Russell terrier” and “Kalashnikov,” “roach clip” and “sudden infant death syndrome,” “self-destruct” and “shell steak.”

Browsing the seventies, I was struck by how the vocabulary of modernity seemed to striate into recurring categories with characteristic voices. Cuisine and geopolitics were cosmopolitan and knowing (“carpaccio,” “chai,” “gulag,” “Moonie”), finance affected to be straight-shooting and square-jawed (“direct deposit,” “junk bond,” “sweat equity”), and fashion invoked comparisons to things that were practical or military (“cargo pocket,” “string bikini”). Workplace lingo was relentlessly jocular (“gotcha,” “wake-up call,” “wimp out”).

I was born in the year of “parachute pants” and “stepparenting,” “bad cholesterol” and “exercise bike,” “brewskis” and “Ebola.” Is it because I was a child then that the lists of the eighties seem to evoke whole worlds? An abridged alphabet of 1982: “ AIDS ,” “barista,” “ couch potato ,” “escape key,” “G-spot,” “immersion blender,” “metalhead,” “phone sex,” “Shiba Inu,” “Valley girl,” “zone out.”

I graduated from college in the year of “bling” and “blog,” “chillax” and “clickbait.” I wrote a dissertation in the year of “bucket list” and “mumblecore,” and finished my Ph.D. in time for “listicles,” “tweeps,” and “sharing economy.” Each of these more recent years gets only a handful of words: 2008 is just “Bitcoin,” “exome,” and “photobomb.” The record, it seems, is still being compiled. ( New entries that don’t yet appear in the dictionary but have been suggested by users in the past few months include “ nothing burger ,” “negging,” “po-po,” and “heteronegativity.”)

Closing the Time Traveler tabs one by one, I found myself back where I started, in 1786, filled with new admiration for the language that, in this solitary year, found time to notice and to name so many creatures great and small—from the “hartebeest” to the “Hessian fly,” from the “millionaire” to the “poverty-stricken,” from the “priapic” to the “pigeon-toed,” from the “lance corporal” to the “niminy-piminy.” I returned to that Burke quote—“Surely the most highly alembicated and sophisticated work of art, arising in complex civilizations, could be considered as designed to organize and command the army of one’s thoughts and images”—and thought it was a fine description of the dictionary.

By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Eight Days of the Corpse Flower: A Diary

By Michael Agger

The “Oddly Satisfying” Pleasures of Slime Porn

By Jamie Lauren Keiles

Bison Bison Bison

Journey Magz Let Us Inspire Your Next Adventure

Merriam webster time traveler

  • Adventure Travel

Merriam-Webster Time Traveler: Unveiling the Linguistic Journey

avatar

In the ever-evolving landscape of language and linguistics, Merriam-Webster stands as a stalwart, not just as a dictionary but as a linguistic time machine. The Merriam-Webster Time Traveler is a unique tool that takes users on a journey through the linguistic history of words, revealing fascinating insights into their origins and transformations.

Table of Contents

History of Merriam-Webster

Founding and early years.

Merriam-Webster’s journey dates back to its founding in the 19th century. Established by George and Charles Merriam, the company quickly became synonymous with authoritative and comprehensive lexicography.

Evolution of the Dictionary

Over the decades, Merriam-Webster has evolved, adapting to the changing linguistic landscape. Its commitment to accuracy and relevance has made it a trusted source for wordsmiths and language enthusiasts.

The Concept of Time Traveler

Merriam-webster’s innovative approach.

The Time Traveler represents a paradigm shift in the way dictionaries are perceived. It’s not merely a static repository of words; instead, it’s a dynamic exploration of linguistic evolution.

How the Time Traveler Works

By allowing users to trace the history of a word from its inception to the present, the Time Traveler provides a contextual understanding of language. This interactive feature sets it apart from traditional dictionaries.

Benefits and Utility

Enhancing vocabulary.

The Merriam-Webster Time Traveler stands as an invaluable tool for language enthusiasts, offering a distinctive advantage in enhancing vocabulary.

Unveiling Word Evolution

At its core, the Time Traveler allows users to witness the metamorphosis of words across epochs. It goes beyond static definitions, immersing users in the dynamic journey of linguistic transformation. This process is not just about learning definitions; it’s a linguistic adventure that unfolds the layers of a word’s existence.

Nuanced Meanings and Contextual Shifts

By exploring the historical contexts in which words were used, users gain a profound understanding of how meanings have evolved. This isn’t a mere listing of synonyms and antonyms; it’s an exploration of the subtle nuances and contextual shifts that shape language. The Time Traveler transforms vocabulary enhancement into a rich and engaging experience.

Understanding Language Evolution

Chronicles of language dynamics.

The Time Traveler transcends the boundaries of individual words, serving as a gateway to a broader comprehension of language evolution.

Capturing the Zeitgeist

In traversing the linguistic landscapes of different eras, the Time Traveler becomes a chronicle of the zeitgeist. It encapsulates not just linguistic changes but also the societal and cultural shifts that influence language. Each word becomes a time capsule, reflecting the ethos of its era. This holistic approach fosters a profound understanding of language as a living entity, shaped by the ebb and flow of human experiences.

Societal Changes and Cultural Nuances

Beyond syntax and semantics, the Time Traveler delves into the societal tapestry of each period. It elucidates how language adapts to cultural nuances and mirrors the ever-changing dynamics of human society. Understanding language evolution becomes a lens through which users can analyze historical and cultural phenomena, fostering a comprehensive appreciation of the intricacies of communication.

Controversies and Criticisms

Accuracy concerns.

While hailed as innovative, the Time Traveler hasn’t been without its share of criticisms. Some skeptics question the accuracy of historical word usage, emphasizing the challenge of capturing the intricacies of language evolution.

Impact on Language Education

Critics also raise concerns about the potential impact on language education. They argue that a tool like the Time Traveler might oversimplify the complexities of linguistic development, potentially misleading learners.

Merriam-Webster’s Influence

Language trends and reflections.

An intriguing aspect of the Time Traveler is its ability to reflect broader language trends. Through the lens of words, it offers insights into societal shifts, technological advancements, and cultural phenomena.

Cultural Impact

Merriam-Webster’s Time Traveler isn’t just a linguistic tool; it has a cultural impact. Popular words and phrases become windows into the collective consciousness of a particular era, creating a tapestry of human experience.

Integration with Technology

time travel feature merriam webster

Online Platforms and Apps

To meet the demands of the digital age, Merriam-Webster has integrated the Time Traveler into various online platforms and mobile apps. This move has democratized linguistic exploration, making it accessible to a global audience.

Accessibility and User-Friendly Features

The user interface is designed to be intuitive, ensuring that even those unfamiliar with linguistic nuances can navigate the Time Traveler with ease. Accessibility has been a priority, promoting inclusivity in linguistic exploration.

Comparisons with Other Language Resources

Merits and drawbacks.

Comparisons with other language resources reveal both merits and drawbacks. While the Time Traveler excels in contextualizing word usage, other tools may focus on different aspects of language study.

Standing Out in a Competitive Landscape

In a competitive landscape of language tools, the Time Traveler stands out as a testament to Merriam-Webster’s commitment to innovation. Its unique approach sets it apart, offering users a distinctive linguistic journey.

Future Developments

Potential improvements.

As technology advances and linguistic studies progress, the Time Traveler has room for improvement. Potential enhancements may include expanding the database, refining algorithms, and incorporating user-generated content.

Keeping Pace with Linguistic Changes

The linguistic landscape is dynamic, and Merriam-Webster aims to stay ahead. Keeping pace with linguistic changes ensures that the Time Traveler remains a relevant and indispensable tool for language enthusiasts.

Here are some FAQs related to Merriam webster time traveler

The term “time traveler” refers to an individual or entity capable of moving through time, either forward or backward, beyond the normal progression experienced by others. In a broader context, it can also denote a concept often explored in science fiction, where characters navigate different temporal periods.

The “Merriam-Webster Time Traveler” is a unique feature offered by the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It allows users to explore the historical usage and evolution of words, providing a chronological journey through the various contexts in which a word has been used over time.

To determine a specific word born in 1991, one would need to consult the Merriam-Webster Time Traveler tool directly. It provides insights into the origins and first-known use of words, offering a fascinating glimpse into the linguistic landscape of a given year.

The time travel feature in the dictionary, such as the one offered by Merriam-Webster, allows users to track the historical usage of words. It enables users to explore when a particular word was first introduced, how its meanings have evolved, and its usage in different time periods.

The concept of time travel, as popularized in science fiction, remains a theoretical and speculative idea. While it is a fascinating subject of exploration in physics, no practical means of time travel has been demonstrated or proven possible according to current scientific understanding.

The key to time travel is currently a subject of scientific and philosophical speculation. In theoretical physics, concepts like wormholes, time dilation, and exotic matter are often discussed in the context of potential time travel. However, as of now, achieving practical time travel remains a theoretical and hypothetical notion.

In the grand tapestry of language, the Merriam-Webster Time Traveler weaves a narrative that transcends mere definitions. It’s a journey through time, a reflection of human expression, and a celebration of the ever-changing linguistic landscape. As we continue to explore the depths of language, the Time Traveler stands as a beacon, illuminating the rich history and vibrant evolution of the words we use every day.

Harr travel

Related posts

Which path to choose a paldean adventure

Which path to choose a paldean adventure

How a single gold coin can change an adventurers life

How a single gold coin can change an adventurers life

Osprey travel backpack

Unleashing Adventure: The Ultimate Guide to Osprey Travel Backpacks

Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster

When was a word first used in print? You may be surprised! Enter a date to see the words first recorded on that year.

At most entries in the  Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , a date will be found following the heading "First Known Use". This is the date of the earliest recorded use in English, as far as it could be determined, of the oldest sense defined in the entry.

It is essential to keep a few factors in mind when assessing the First Known Use Date:

  • The date may not represent the very oldest sense of the word. Many obsolete, archaic, and uncommon senses have been excluded from this dictionary, and such senses have not been taken into consideration in determining the date.
  • The date most often does not mark the very first time that the word was used in English. Many words were in spoken use for decades or even longer before they passed into the written language. The date is for the earliest  written  or  printed  use that the editors have been able to discover.
  • The date is subject to change. Many of the dates provided will undoubtedly be updated as evidence of still earlier use emerges.

The First Known Use Date will appear in one of three styles:

  • For the Old English period (700-1099), "before 12th century"
  • For the Middle English period (1100-1499), by century (e.g., "14th century")
  • For the Modern English period (1500-present), by year (for example, "1942")

The rounding of earlier dates reflects the uncertain chronology of medieval manuscripts and the often conjectural nature of the composition dates of the texts they record. To convey impreciseness in a Modern English date, circa (Latin for "around") is appended. This is usually done for one of two reasons: the source's copyright page provides a date range rather than a specific year; or the word appears as an entry in a reference work, indicating that it had been in use before that work's publication date.

A few classes of main entries that are not complete words (such as abbreviations, prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms) or are not generic words (such as trademarks) are not given...

WKBW - Buffalo, New York

Merriam-Webster creates 'Time Traveler' tool to search when words were first used in print

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Merriam-Webster dictionary has created an online 'Time Traveler' tool to search for when a certain word was first used in print.

All you need to do is type in a year and find which words were first used in print.

So far in 2020, nine words or phrases appeared for the first time, most notably COVID-19.

You can search when words were first used in print here .

Sign up for the Headlines Newsletter and receive up to date information.

Now signed up to receive the headlines newsletter..

wkbw_50662_7Things_Social_1024x512_w.jpg

Plan your weekend with these 7 things to do!

  • GTA 5 Cheats
  • Print on a Chromebook
  • Nothing Phone 2 Review
  • Best YouTube TV Alternatives
  • Asus ROG Ally vs. Steam Deck
  • Gameshare on Nintendo Switch

Sheeple, scuzzballs, and BFFs — See the words first used the year you were born

Mark Austin

Are you older than “ air guitar ”? How about “ cybersex ,” “ junk food ,” or “ elevator music ”? Simply plug in the year of your birth to reveal a list of words that can trace their first known use back to that date.

Etymology is an inexact science, as Merriam-Webster points out in their explanation of “First Known Use” dates . Many words were used as slang in spoken language long before they made their way to a printed publication. The dates given in the Time Traveler generally refer to the earliest written use that the editors have been able to uncover. New discoveries about the nature of language and the first use of certain words or phrases will undoubtedly lead to updates in the list.

  • Airbnb offering a year in Italy rent-free, and you can apply
  • Lightroom adds first new slider in 4 years and will teach you how to use it

The latest Time Traveler entries are from 2010 (Arab Spring, gamification), but these lists are sure to grow in the decades ahead. Dictionary editors add thousands of new words to their lists every year , much to the consternation of Scrabble aficionados. Not only that, but etymologists do like to have some highbrow fun from time to time, such as their veiled dig at Apple when they added “sheeple” to their dictionary in 2017.

For word nerds, the Time Traveler is an interesting look back at the development of pop culture as reflected in language throughout the decades. If you were born in 1990, you’re the same age as tighty-whiteys, spam, and velociraptor. 1980 babies can count ziplock, comb-over, and high-five among their brethren. Meanwhile older folk born in 1970 welcomed love handles, beeper, and granola to the Merriam-Webster lexicon. Users on Twitter (first known use: 14th century) are already having a lot of fun with the new tool .

So, take a trip down memory lane with the Time Traveler and find out what words were brand new back when you were a mere youngling .

Editors' Recommendations

  • World’s first 200TB SSD is nearly here, but you can’t use it
  • This is the freakiest space station video you’ll see all year

Mark Austin

You'll probably eventually come across a webpage that you'd like to save for later, and if you save a webpage as a PDF it will stay the same as it is today when you access it again. As a result, converting a webpage to PDF format is an excellent way to record web data as it is for our records, research, and other applications. Here's how to go about it.

Recording your screen on your Mac, Windows PC, or Chromebook is a great way to show friends your cool gaming tricks, make tutorial videos for software you use, and show off your techniques in digital art. Unfortunately, screen recording isn't quite as easy as taking a screenshot. There are however, a ton of ways to accomplish this task and you should be able to record your screen on Windows or any other device in just a few minutes after picking one.

Best Buy has launched a huge 3-day sale with massive discounts on pretty much all the tech you could possibly want. That means fantastic TV deals but also excellent laptop deals and even Apple deals on iPads, MacBooks and more. As you can imagine, there are thousands of items in the sale so we can’t list every single one here. However, we can spend some time highlighting the very best deals going on at Best Buy right now so you can quickly find some tempting offers. If you’ve got the time though, hit the button below so you can check out the full sale for yourself, browsing through categories to see what works for you and your budget. Remember -- you only have until the end of Sunday to take advantage of these prices so you’ll need to be quick.

What to shop for in the Best Buy 3-day sale Best Buy generally offers pretty good laptop deals with the highlight at the moment being able to buy a for just $150. It normally costs $200 so you’re saving $50. Besides scoring a device from one of the best laptop brands, you also get a year’s subscription to Microsoft 365 which is sure to be incredibly useful. The laptop offers an 11-hour battery life while it has an Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of memory, 64GB of eMMC storage, and a 14-inch HD display with micro-edge bezels.

Merriam-Webster's Time Traveler Tool Shows You Words That Came Into Print The Year You Were Born

News Editor, HuffPost Canada

time travel feature merriam webster

Aren't words wonderful?

We use them to tell tales, express our feelings, and record history.

But what happens when we look at the history of words — specifically, at what point certain words first appeared in the English lexicon?

Merriam-Webster Dictionary has introduced an online tool called Time Traveler that allows anyone to search words and phrases that first appeared in writing or print the year they were born.

It's a fascinating look at the evolution of the Internet, biomedicine, gender identity, ridiculous pop-culture references, and slang. It also gives us some surprising insights.

Enjoying this selection of words from my birth year on the @MerriamWebster Time Traveler... "air quotes" https://t.co/YnJtkndLyg pic.twitter.com/jEAexCNURR — Imogen aRgh. H. (@ImogenRH) October 26, 2018

For instance, "text messaging" was first seen in print in 1982, one year before "cell phone." And the word "meh" didn't make a print appearance until 1992.

You weren't calling your closest friend your "bestie" until at least 1991, the same year that "gift card" and "soul patch" appeared.

Some of the entries will just make you feel old AF — "loonie" first came into our vernacular in 1987, and we've been talking about "baristas", "e-mail", and "turducken" since 1982.

For those born between 1981 and 2000, check out some of the words that first appeared in print the year you came into existence:

Ableism, app, autocorrect, bashful bladder, fist pump, French manicure, ghetto blaster, high-definition, infomercial, phone sex, poutine, screen saver, snowboard, technobabble, warm fuzzies, weekend warrior, woo-hoo

AIDS, alt-rock, barista, boy toy, break dancing, concealed carry, couch potato, cyberspace, designated driver, e-mail, face-plant, gaydar, G-spot, microbrewery, text messaging, turducken

Bacterial vaginosis, brewpub, cell phone, dumpster diving, exfoliant, information superhighway, newb, onesie, ringtone, spell-check, stressed-out, yup

Bi-curious, blush wine, date-rape, glass ceiling, horndog, phone tag, spin doctor, sriracha, sucky, wack, yuppify

24-7, anime, attachment parenting, boy band, caller ID, ciabatta, clean tech, crack house, elephant in the room, N-word, sexual predator, step aerobics, Sucralose, Vietnamese potbellied pig

Bungee jump, chat room, crackhead, cringe, deets, HIV, outercourse, portobello, shock jock, sippy cup, slimeball, SUV

Acid-washed, beer goggles, emoticon, FAQ, GIF, loonie, macchiato, paintball, potty-mouthed, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, steampunk, technopreneur, virtual reality

Boomerang child, brick-and-mortar, channel surfing, crop circle, emo, f-bomb, gangsta, JPEG, mad cow disease, mosh pit, road rage, unibrow

Air quotes, beatdown, caffeinated, cyberporn, eco-friendly, gangsta rap, Generation X, helicopter parent, intersectionality, latte, nanobot, puggle, right-click, scrunchie, viral marketing

Big-box, farro, geek out, hoodie, Internet service provider, left-click, McMansion, props, shout-out, spam, tighty-whities, World Wide Web

3-D printer, bestie, brain freeze, carjacking, cybersex, gift card, heteronormative, mixtape, pescatarian, soul patch, time suck, voluntourism

More from HuffPost Canada: A Very Ironic Word First Appeared In Print The Year Donald Trump Was Born Guess The Canadian Province That Googles "Eh" Most Often 25 Of The Most Canadian Words

Arm candy, augmented reality, auto-complete, buzzkill, Frankenfood, home page, HTML, man cave, meh, photoshop, Taliban, URL, weak sauce, zip-tie

Body camera, booty call, DVD, e-commerce, fashionista, game changer, microdermabrasion, robocall, webmaster, web page, website

Alt-pop, Botox, cisgender, cyberterrorism, dot-com, metrosexual, MP3, pole dancing, roofie, spoiler alert, upcycle, webcam, welp, wifebeater

Anti-globalization, anti-spam, cap-and-trade, click-through, date-rape drug, genderqueer, macaron, regift, USB, webcast, wiki

Cloud computing, cyberattack, face-palm, fist bump, kiteboarding, phishing, senior moment, smartphone

Amber Alert, auto-tune, emoji, freegan, friend with benefits, judge, smackdown, weblog

Cyberbullying, flexitarian, micro green, open-source, social networking, webinar

Bling, blog, blogger, blogosphere, carbon footprint, chillax, clickbait, snark, texting, vape

Bokeh, crunk, geocaching, google, speed dating, sudoku, walk back

Born outside of 1981-2000? Check out the "Time Traveler" feature here, and the criteria it uses here .

Also on HuffPost Canada:

From Our Partner

time travel feature merriam webster

time travel feature merriam webster

Merriam-Webster's 'Time Traveler' reveals what new words appeared the year you were born

Merriam-Webster's 'Time Traveler' reveals what new words appeared the year you were born

The English language is constantly evolving, and the faster the world changes, the faster our vocabulary changes. Some of us grew up in an age when a "wireless router" would have been assumed to be a power tool, not a way to get your laptop (which wasn't a thing when I was a kid) connected to the internet (which also wasn't a thing when I was a kid, at least not in people's homes).

It's interesting to step back and look at how much has changed just in our own lifetimes, which is why Merriam-Webster's Time Traveler tool is so fun to play with. All you do is choose a year, and it tells you what words first appeared in print that year.

For my birth year, the words "adult-onset diabetes," "playdate," and "ATM" showed up in print for the first time, and yes, that makes me feel ridiculously old.

It's also fun to plug in the years of different people's births to see how their generational differences might impact their perspectives. For example, let's take the birth years of the oldest and youngest members of Congress:

Senator Dianne Feinstein was born in 1933, the year in which "antihistamine," "jet engine," and "goose bumps" first appeared in print.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was born in 1989, the year that saw "cybersecurity," "eco-friendly," and "intersectionality" printed for the first time.

It's almost like a time capsule, isn't it? So indicative of how much changes just in one lifetime.

Which words first appeared in print the year you were born? Time travel with us: https://t.co/eX0PXxhe15 — Merriam-Webster (@Merriam-Webster) 1603120339.0

Like any dive into the dictionary, Time Traveler can also help you expand your vocabulary. I found some words I've never seen before that have apparently been around for more than four decades when I searched my birth year. Some seem like they might come in handy, like "phallocratic," which means "relating to, resulting from, or advocating masculine power and dominance." (Could be a useful alternative to "patriarchal.") Others I'll likely never use, such as "becquerel," which is "a unit of radioactivity of a given sample of material equal to one atomic decay per second." Cool, but pretty useless in my non-scientific life as a writer.

It was even fun to see what words came about during my kids' short lives. My youngest is 11, and words that came into print in his birth year include "crowdfund," "mansplain," and "photobomb." Seriously, it really is like a time capsule that offers a snapshot of life and culture in any given year.

Merriam-Webster gives this note about what it means for words to be used in print for the first time (which doesn't meant the first time they were ever used):

"The date most often does not mark the very first time that the word was used in English. Many words were in spoken use for decades or even longer before they passed into the written language. The date is for the earliest written or printed use that the editors have been able to discover.

The date is subject to change. Many of the dates provided will undoubtedly be updated as evidence of still earlier use emerges."

Language is a fascinating thing, ever-changing and ever-evolving. Thanks, Merriam-Webster, for providing a simple way to see that truth play out over time.

You can try out the Merriam-Webster Time Traveler here.

  • Using the 'dictionary definition of racism' defense is a sure sign you ... ›
  • Turns out, everybody says 'huh' — or at least something pretty darn ... ›
  • If Merriam-Webster Defined 'Amazeballs,' I'm Pretty Sure Diana ... ›
  • Look up which words first appeared in print the year you were born ›
  • Time-Travelling with Merriam-Webster's Dictionary | The New Yorker ›
  • Merriam-Webster's Time Traveler Shows Words Added to Dictionary ... ›

Squatters' rights laws are some of the most bizarrely misused legal realities we have, and something no one seems to have a good answer for. Most of us have heard stories of someone moving into a vacant home and just living there, without anyone's permission and without paying rent , and somehow this is a legal question mark until the courts sort it out.

According to The National Desk , squatters' rights are a carryover from British property law and were created to ensure that abandoned property could be used and to protect occupants from being kicked out without proper notice. It should go without saying that squatter law isn't meant to allow someone to just take over someone else's property, but sometimes that's exactly what happens.

It's what happend to Flash Shelton's mother when she put her house up for rent after her husband passed away. A woman contacted her with interest in the property, only she wanted to do repairs and look after the home instead of paying rent. Before anyone knew it, she had furniture delivered (which she later said was accidental) and set up camp, despite Shelton's mom not agreeing to the arrangement.

But since the woman had expressed her intention and already moved in, the matter was out of police hands, as Shelton found out when he tried to contact the local sheriff.

“They said, ‘I’m sorry but we can’t enter the house, and it looks like they’re living there, so you need to go through the courts',” he shared in a YouTube video.

Shelton rightfully didn't want the expense of a court battle, so he took matters into his own hands—not with violence, but with logic. He had his mom lease the home to him, and then told the squatter that she had to move everything out because he was moving things in.

“If they can take a house, I can take a house," he said.

He was calm and clear about her having to get everything out within the day or he would have people come and take it, and thankfully, she didn't put up a big fight.

That experience made him realize how squatter law can be abused, but that there's a faster system for removing a squatter than to go through the court system. If a squatter can move in and force a homeowner to take them to court to prove they are living there illegally, then he could simply move in alongside the squatter, putting the squatter in the position of having to take the homeowner to court instead.

"The legal process is so slow, and at some point when they're in there, you're going to feel like they have more rights than you do and that's how you're going to be treated. So even though you it's your house and you're paying the mortgage or whatever, at some point squatters feel like they have more rights than you, so they don't have an incentive to leave until a judge tells them to, until they're actually ordered to, and that could take months."

After successfully removing the squatters in his mother's house, Shelton has been tackling similar squatter situations for other homeowners in California, earning him the nickname "The Squatter Hunter."

"All I'm doing is becoming a squatter and flipping this process on them," Shelton told CBS News . "I figured if they could take a house, I could take a house."

According to CBS, he's successfully removed a dozen squatters in the past year. ""I'm not going in and I'm not hurting anyone," he said. "I'm not kicking them out, I'm not throwing them out." He's literally just moving in himself, setting up cameras, and then creating small annoyances until the squatters get fed up enough to move out.

California isn't the only state that has seen issues with squatters. There are squatter stories from all over the U.S. of people moving into a property and refusing to leave without a court order, tying owners up in lengthy, expensive legal battles.

Shelton even has a Change.org petition to try to get squatter laws changed to "make squatting in residential maintained homes criminal." Making squatting illegal "will shift the burden of proof onto the squatter and make the crime punishable with restitution an option for damages," the the petition states.

Watch Shelton share his personal story:

  • Guy shares the reason viral gym videos need to end, and it's so spot on ›
  • Urban planner shares a simple and proven way to cut rents in half ›
  • The 'world's most livable city' has a proven, 100-year-old approach to affordable housing ›

Flight attendant reveals the two surefire ways to get a first-class upgrade

You must think like a flight attendant, not a passenger..

A flight attendant sits in first class.

How are some people able to upgrade from economy to first class on a commercial air flight? A flight attendant who goes by the name of Cierra Mistt on TikTok recently shared the secrets in a viral video.

According to the Salt Lake City-based flight attendant, there are two ways to get into first class for free. One tactic is for overbooked flights, and the other is for flights with a lot of empty seats.

1. Not-full flight: Sit in the very last row

"On flights that aren't full, we normally have to move passengers for weight and balance purposes, and when we do that, it's normally from back to front. If that's the case, the flight attendants are going to move people from the very last row to the front so that they can sit down there after doing their service because it's a lot more comfy to sit in those passenger seats than it is in the jump seat,” Misty reveals.

2. Overbooked flight: Name your price

You will know you are on an overbooked flight if the flight attendant announces they are compensating passengers to change their booking. If you're interested, Misty advises that you don't take their initial offer but make your own demands. She swears it works nearly every time.

"First, go to the gate agent. Second, give them a price and say that you want that in cash," [name said]. "When the gate agent is rebooking you for that next flight, make sure that they put you in first class to compensate for the time that you're losing because you had to get kicked from that flight. Over 99% of the time this works."

@cierra_mistt flight attendant secrets- how to get FREE upgrades to FIRST CLASS (p 1) ✈️
  • My family met with Justin Trudeau last month to learn about Canada’s trans rights bill. ›
  • If you're homeless and in college, what do you do when the dorms close? She faced it. ›

This Map Reveals The True Value Of $100 In Each State

Your purchasing power can swing by 30% from state to state..

Map represents the value of 100 dollars.

As the cost of living in large cities continues to rise , more and more people are realizing that the value of a dollar in the United States is a very relative concept. For decades, cost of living indices have sought to address and benchmark the inconsistencies in what money will buy, but they are often so specific as to prevent a holistic picture or the ability to "browse" the data based on geographic location.

The Tax Foundation addressed many of these shortcomings using the most recent (2015) Bureau of Economic Analysis data to provide a familiar map of the United States overlaid with the relative value of what $100 is "worth" in each state. Granted, going state-by-state still introduces a fair amount of "smoothing" into the process — $100 will go farther in Los Angeles than in Fresno, for instance — but it does provide insight into where the value lies.

The map may not subvert one's intuitive assumptions, but it nonetheless quantities and presents the cost of living by geography in a brilliantly simple way. For instance, if you're looking for a beach lifestyle but don't want to pay California prices, try Florida, which is about as close to "average" — in terms of purchasing power, anyway — as any state in the Union. If you happen to find yourself in a "Brewster's Millions"-type situation, head to Hawaii, D.C., or New York. You'll burn through your money in no time.

The Relative Value of $100 in a state.

Image by Tax Foundation .

If you're quite fond of your cash and would prefer to keep it, get to Mississippi, which boasts a 16.1% premium on your cash from the national average.

The Tax Foundation notes that if you're using this map for a practical purpose, bear in mind that incomes also tend to rise in similar fashion, so one could safely assume that wages in these states are roughly inverse to the purchasing power $100 represents.

This article originally appeared on 08.17.17

  • 7 secrets to getting more money back on your tax returns. - Upworthy ›
  • David and John Auten-Schneider, hosts of the Queer Money ... ›
  • Take Two 'Normal' People, Add Money To Just One Of Them, And ... ›

Younger generations are torn over inheriting boomer heirlooms. Here are 4 helpful tips.

The generational divide on this front is a big one, but there are better and worse ways to navigate it..

There are kind and gentle ways to handle hand-me-downs.

As the baby boomer generation reaches their "golden years," many of them are starting to think about what to do with their earthly possessions, much to the chagrin of some of their Gen X , millennial and Gen Z descendants.

How many of us really want to take over our grandma's collection of dolls or plates when we have no interest in collecting ourselves? How many people have homes filled with furniture we actually like, only to be offered antiques and heirlooms that we have neither the desire nor room for? What about china sets, artwork and other things our elders have loved that they want to see passed down in the family that no one in the family really wants?

It's a delicate road to navigate, as a post on X illustrated. Jodi-Ann Quarrie shared a screenshot of a story a man shared about his wife fighting with his mother-in-law about the china sets she wanted her children to have. She had four adult children and four sets of china for them to divvy amongst themselves, but all four kids refused. An argument ensued about how none of the china had ever been used, even on special occasions, and culminated in the wife telling the mother-in-law that she was going to use the plates as frisbees after she dies.

People's reactions to the story were mixed. Some pointed out that there's no reason for someone to say something so cruel to a family member (or anyone, for that matter). Others felt that the mother-in-law was being unreasonable by not accepting no for an answer.

This is going to be a sad story for so many families. People are saving mahogany dining sets, breakfronts full of exquisite glasses and plates, and whole sets of silverware for their children who do not want, need, or have a place to put them. — (@)

Extreme as the story may have been, there is a clear generational divide between the post-Depression era folks who think passing down heirlooms is generous and the generations that are accustomed to replacing things every few years because of planned obsolescence. There is also a divide between people who attach their life story to their belongings to the point that if their things aren't valued then neither are they, and people who don't tie memories or sentimentality to material things at all.

How do we bridge these divides? Each family dynamic and situation is different, of course, but here are four principles to keep in mind if you're on the receiving end of an heirloom offer you don't really want.

1) Don't diminish the value—either monetary or sentimental—of what an elder is offering.

These things may mean nothing to you, but they obviously mean something to the person who wants you to have. There's no need to hurt their feelings by being brazen about how their outdated furniture isn't really worth anything anymore or to point out that you have no emotional attachment to it. That all might be true, but is it necessary to share that with someone who is nearing the end of their life and feeling sentimental? No. It doesn't meant you have to take it, either, but a little empathy, even if it's not how you would feel about your own belongings, goes a long way.

2) If they're trying to give you something now and you really don't want it or have room for it, offer alternatives.

It's perfectly reasonable to tell a loved one that on a practical level you simply don't have the space for something. What the person usually wants is to know that a piece of them is going to be carried on as a physical memory and proof of their existence, so offer them a way to do that in a way that works for you.

Try something like this: "I would love to have something of yours that is meaningful that we can pass down, but we already have all the furniture we are able to manage—is there something like a piece of jewelry or a photo album or something else that we could pick out together as an heirloom for our side of the family?"

@notyourleader @yooneedmorejodi I'm really sorry you're having this problem. Do you think she could hear something like, "That's so kind of you, but I'd rather you kept it here for now, so I can see it with you. It just means so much more, seeing you and it together."\n\nIt's a tough problem. — (@)

3) Be kind about their wishes while they're still here.

It's not easy getting older, and people's feelings about their life and death are worthy of consideration and compassion. If it brings an older person joy to see belongings they value being passed down while they're still alive, it might be worth letting them have that joy. Again, they might just want to know that their memory is going to live on.

It's difficult for us to imagine what it's like to be old when we're young, but it's not too hard to understand the desire to be remembered. That desire manifests differently for different people. Kindness can look like taking the items with gratitude and waiting until they pass away to give them away. It can also be gently refusing them for now, telling them it makes you happy to see them enjoying their things, and reassuring them that you'll make sure their items are taken care of when they're no longer here. (Taking care of doesn't mean keeping, but they don't necessarily need to know that detail. Honesty must be balanced with tact and thoughtfulness here.)

@baker_tricia @yooneedmorejodi That was the kind and loving thing to do. — (@)

4) You are not obligated to hold onto something someone gave you, especially after they are gone. (But also, stay open to the idea that you might want to.)

No one is obligated to hold onto anything they don't really want. You also don't have to tell the person that you're not planning to keep their stuff—let them be at peace about it while they're here. It's perfectly okay to let go of their material things after they're gone. It's highly unlikely that they're going to care at that point.

However, it's also wise to stay open to the idea that you might actually want some of the things a loved one gives you after they pass. We never know how grief and loss are going to impact us, regardless of our relationship with someone, and sometimes people regret getting rid of all of their family members' belongings too quickly. It might be wise to just say yes to some things for now (if you are able to) and then decide what to do with them later.

Again, every situation is different, so these principles may or may not apply perfectly to your own circumstances, but the central message is to be kind and compassionate. We all have a limited amount of time here that shouldn't be wasted fighting over material things.

  • Mom shocked when boomer mother-in-law refuses to be called grandma and demands royal title ›
  • Teacher admits there are 11 things that Boomer parents totally got right ›
  • People admit the one thing that Boomers really got right and some folks are uncomfortable ›

Canadian comedian makes a funny and thoughtful case for why he doesn't want to be rich

"bring rich won't make history remember you.".

Comedian Pardis Parker at the Global Ted COnference 2022.

In April 2022, comedian Pardis Parker performed a five-minute set at the global TED Conference in Vancouver, Canada, where he admitted he’s “terrified of wanting to be a billionaire.” The performance was a funny and bold, statement in a culture obsessed with the ultra-wealthy.

Parker’s fear of becoming a billionaire began after he left Canada for Los Angeles . “I think the biggest difference between Canada and L.A. is the extent to which people in L.A. fetishize wealth,” Parker said.

“I'm terrified, man. I'm terrified that L.A. is changing me that I'm becoming one of those people who chases money, who fetishizes wealth who wants to be a billionaire,” he continued. “When I say that people get angry they get defensive. They’re like, ‘What's wrong with being rich ? What's wrong with being a billionaire? What's wrong with being financially savvy?’ It's just like yo man, if you own a billion of anything that doesn't make you savvy, that makes you a hoarder.

He then points out that billionaires are just as quickly forgotten as anyone else. “There's 2,668 billionaires on the planet right now. Name them. You can't, and that's while they're still alive,” Parker joked.

Parker finishes his chunk by sharing how almost everyone can leave a legacy long after they’re gone. For example, give kids a full-size candy bar on Halloween. “That's it, that's it. Legacy cemented. It's been 30 years since I went trick-or-treating and me and my brother still talk about 39 Grenon.”

Parker’s stand-up routine presents a fun way of rethinking what it means to be rich and leave a legacy and he’s right. In the end, people will probably forget those who impressed them with their wealth, but they’ll never forget someone who made them feel good.

  • People are sharing what it was like encountering insanely rich kids for the first time ›
  • Inside the heads of people who are always late, as explained by stick figures. ›
  • Woman explains why adult Disney fans are living a happier life than ... ›

Her neighbors kept giving pregnancy updates through her doorbell cam. Watch til the end.

"this is giving 'this is us' vibes.".

Best doorbell camera footage ever.

Doorbell cameras offer us candid glimpses into the best and worst parts of humanity. Everything from package theft to funny off-the-cuff-rants to sagely life advice has been captured and shared to remind us that life is indeed neither fully good nor bad.

Luckily, this doorbell cam story definitely falls into the heartwarming, feel-good category.

A compilation video posted to TikTok by a woman named Katie Brooke Newton shows her neighbors offering cute pregnancy updates every time they pass by her apartment. And, as one viewer aptly noted, it gives perfect “This is Us” vibes.

Most of the clip shows the mom-to-be staring straight into the camera saying “still pregnant” with a shrug. But then at the end, we see the couple walking up the stairs to their apartment, and the woman, hospital bracelets around her wrist, delivers her final line: “We had the baby.”

The dad then holds the baby up to the camera and quips “not pregnant” instead of “still pregnant.” All the while, the song “Bundle of Joy” from Disney’s “Inside Out” plays in the background.

Thrilled, Newton captioned “Thank you @Ring for helping capture this. Welcome home next door baby!!!”

@katiebrookenewton Thank you @Ring for helping capture this 🥹😭 welcome home next door baby!!! #ring   #newborn   #pregnant   #duedate   ♬ Bundle of Joy (From "Inside Out") - Benny Martin

The video has racked up nearly 30 million views, and thousands wrote in to say that this should be an actual Ring door cam commercial.

Another viewer noted “I feel like I just watched a Pixar film.”

Newton told Today.com that the sweet viral moment spawned from an earlier interaction she had with the mom, named Sydney Melton.

“I ran into her the day after her due date and said, ‘I’m so tempted to check my Ring camera every time I get a notification that there’s movement at my door because I am curious if it’s you guys running out with your hospital bags ready to go be in labor,’” she told Today.com.

Trevor Melton, Sydney’s husband, also shared that the surprisingly wholesome viral response has given him a new outlook on social media.

“I don’t have social media at all. And my wife has Instagram but she doesn’t use it very often. Oftentimes, I feel that social media can be something that’s really divisive and destructive. I feel like this kind of has made me almost second guess that or see the beauty of it.”

Yes, we might live in a fairly disconnected world. But the opportunities to form connections are there, often in plain sight.

  • Sweet kid playing ding-dong ditch shares positive affirmations on stranger's door camera ›
  • Ring doorbell video captures the phenomenon of what it's like to be the default parent ›
  • Overwhelmed new mother hears the perfect parenting advice from her mom on doorbell cam ›

Her son came out. She called a gay bar for advice. The delightful conversation went viral.

A 6-year-old asks ​neil degrasse tyson an adorable question. he gives her an awesome answer., avocado farmer explains secret why you can't grow hass avocado trees from hass seeds, people admit the one thing that boomers really got right and some folks are uncomfortable, her entire squad quit before the state cheerleading competition. she cheered anyway., dog owner dressed up as dog's favorite toy and his reaction was seriously adorable.

time travel feature merriam webster

time traveler quiz which word came first

Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?

Which word entered the English language first?

Come travel through time the dictionary way to figure out which words entered the English language first. Sometimes it’s easy to tell which one of two words came first: the word telephone probably came before the word Internet . Sure enough, telephone is from the 1844 along with classics like rumormonger and goatee . Internet hails from 1974 along with junk bond and microgravity .

MORE: See which words debuted the year you were born

Next: Words Named After People

Next: how strong is your vocabulary, next: name that thing, next: name that flower, next: spell it, next: 12-letter words quiz, next: true or false, next: challenging standardized test words vol. 3, next: are you feeling lucky.

Namesake of the leotard , Jules Léotard had what profession?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

A person might be described as a kleptomaniac if they compulsively do what?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

Oscar’s directions to the vacation house were circuitous .

The new tax law was a boon to Cindy and Jeff, who just bought a home.

Other Popular Quizzes

Name That Thing

Forgot password?

Don't have a Merriam-Webster account? Sign up now!

  • United States

Find Out Which Words Debuted In Your Birth Year

Now, you can find out which words debuted in your year of birth.

so glad to be born in 1991, the year of "bestie","zoodle" and "cybersex" https://t.co/2Xy4Grfhyz — Julia Wolfe (@juruwolfe) October 25, 2018
I spy the words CMYK, craft beer, cringey, and deets AKA an accurate summary of my day yesterday. ? https://t.co/q96PnwwLi4 — Mizz Cacklin’ in the Moonlight ? (@mizzcakelin) October 26, 2018
Words that came into use the year I was born(via @MerriamWebster ):bungee jump, chat room, craft beer, slimeball, SUV— https://t.co/pWOp0s6WWs — Jessica Derschowitz (@jessicasara) August 16, 2017

More from Living

R29 original series.

Time travel through words with Merriam-Webster

October 29, 2018

This fascinating tool from Merriam Webster , let's you see when a word was first used in print.

1981 (when I was born) includes words like: graphical user interface, LAN, screen saver, uninstall and unsubscribe but also autocorrect which I would have assumed was only used far later.

It’s honest, authentic, and accessible.

I love sharing my experiences working in design and what’ve I’ve learned along the way. Join a community of thousands of designers, developers, and product professionals by signing up to my newsletter!

Not quite ready to sign up? I totally understand! Why not start by reading some of my past issues ?

You need to confirm your email to confirm your subscription.

  • Reading Challenges
  • Sunflower eLibrary
  • KS State Library Digital Books
  •   My Account

Basehor Community Library

Merriam-Webster: Time Traveler

Dec 16, 2017 | Archived

Merriam Webster Logo

Have you ever wondered what year words were used in print for the first time? Well Merriam-Webster has you covered with their Time Traveler feature. Spanning a time ranging from 2015 to the 12th century, find out when words like hydrophobic or even a word as common as another were first used in print. A fun way to kill time for the grammar scholars in all of us.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/time-traveler/

Recent Posts

  • National Library Week
  • Library Director
  • Change to Sunflower/Libby eLibrary
  • Adult Winter Reading
  • Basehor Community
  • Basehor Library Employment
  • Featured Programs & Services
  • Public Service Announcements
  • Uncategorized

Are you sure?

Do you really want to delete card?

This process cannot be undone.

deleting...

Card has been deleted successfully.

Scout Archives

  • ATE Central
  • Past Projects
  • The Scout Report
  • AMSER Science Reader Monthly
  • ATE Central Connection
  • Past Publications
  • Browse Archives
  • Search Archives
  • News Updates
  • Upcoming Events
  • In the News
  • Copyright Permissions
  • Privacy Policy
  • For the Media

Merriam-Webster: Time Traveler

  • https://www.merriam-webster.com/time-traveler

Screenshot

  • https://scout.wisc.edu/report/2018/1102
  • Scout Report
  • Merriam-Webster, Inc.
  • English language -- New Words
  • Language Arts -- Vocabulary

Reproduction Information

IMAGES

  1. Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster: Words from 2010

    time travel feature merriam webster

  2. Travel in Time with Merriam-Webster

    time travel feature merriam webster

  3. “Time-Travel” With Merriam-Webster To Learn When Words Entered The

    time travel feature merriam webster

  4. Which words debuted when you did? 'Time travel' with Merriam-Webster's

    time travel feature merriam webster

  5. Time Traveler Shows You the Year Words First Appeared in Print » The

    time travel feature merriam webster

  6. Merriam-Webster's Time Traveler Tool Shows You Words That Came Into

    time travel feature merriam webster

VIDEO

  1. Time travel Concept l

COMMENTS

  1. Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster

    Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster: Search Words by First Known Use Date. When was a word first used in print? You may be surprised! Enter a date below to see the words first recorded on that year. To learn more about First Known Use dates, click here. Select a year. When was a word first used in print? You may be surprised!

  2. Merriam-Webster Has a Smart Way to Return to Our Birth Years

    October 26, 2018 12:26 PM EDT. Merriam-Webster is giving us all one more way to judge just how much we've aged with a new "time traveler" engine on the dictionary brand's website. Just ...

  3. Time Traveler tool tells you which words first appeared in print the

    Merriam-Webster shared its website's new "Time Traveler" feature on Thursday, and it's honestly super fun. The Time Traveler section of the site allows users to see which words first appeared in ...

  4. Time-Travelling with Merriam-Webster's Dictionary

    Elif Batuman explores a new feature on Merriam-Webster's Web site that allows users to see all the words first used in print in a given year. ... and it has indeed enabled me to travel in time ...

  5. Learn Which Words Were First Printed the Year You Were Born

    Merriam-Webster's Time Traveler app tells you the words first printed the year you were born. And, of course, there's a pandemic-related 2020 entry.

  6. Travel in Time with Merriam-Webster

    SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Aug. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Merriam-Webster, America's leading dictionary publisher, announces the launch of Time Traveler—a new feature on Merriam-Webster.com that ...

  7. Merriam-Webster Time Traveler: Unveiling the Linguistic Journey

    In the ever-evolving landscape of language and linguistics, Merriam-Webster stands as a stalwart, not just as a dictionary but as a linguistic time machine. The Merriam-Webster Time Traveler is a unique tool that takes users on a journey through the linguistic history of words, revealing fascinating insights into their origins and transformations.

  8. Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster

    An interactive feature that displays the new words that were used in print each year, ... Time Traveler by Merriam-Webster. ... At most entries in the Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, a date will be found following the heading "First Known Use". This is the date of the earliest recorded use in English, as far as it could be determined, of the ...

  9. Merriam-Webster creates 'Time Traveler' tool to search when ...

    and last updated 3:41 AM, Oct 21, 2020. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Merriam-Webster dictionary has created an online 'Time Traveler' tool to search for when a certain word was first used in print ...

  10. Which words debuted when you did? 'Time travel' with Merriam-Webster's

    You'll then be presented with a plethora of words, many of which you will have no idea were ever around. @MerriamWebster 's new "Time Traveler" will tell you which words debuted in print during ...

  11. Find Written Etymology of Words by Year with the Time Traveler

    The dates given in the Time Traveler generally refer to the earliest written use that the editors have been able to uncover. New discoveries about the nature of language and the first use of ...

  12. Merriam-Webster's Time Traveler Tool Shows You Words That ...

    Merriam-Webster's Time Traveler Tool Shows You Words That Came Into Print The Year You Were Born ... Merriam-Webster Dictionary has introduced an online tool called Time Traveler that allows anyone to search words and phrases that first appeared in writing or print the year ... Check out the "Time Traveler" feature here, and the criteria it ...

  13. Merriam-Webster's 'Time Traveler' reveals what new words ...

    My youngest is 11, and words that came into print in his birth year include "crowdfund," "mansplain," and "photobomb." Seriously, it really is like a time capsule that offers a snapshot of life and culture in any given year. Merriam-Webster gives this note about what it means for words to be used in print for the first time (which doesn't meant ...

  14. Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?

    Come travel through time the dictionary way to figure out which words entered the English language first. Sometimes it's easy to tell which one of two words came first: the word telephone probably came before the word Internet.Sure enough, telephone is from the 1844 along with classics like rumormonger and goatee. Internet hails from 1974 along with junk bond and microgravity.

  15. Merriam Webster Time Traveler Tool

    But back in 1983, people were already being introduced to words including "guac", "onesie", "piehole" and "bae"- yes, "bae" has been a thing for 35 years now. However, it wasn't until 1993 that ...

  16. New Dictionary Tool Lets You Discover When Words First Appeared in

    The Merriam Webster Dictionary has developed a really neat tool that allows you to travel back in time to find out when certain words first appeared in print. Simply head over to the Time Traveler ...

  17. Merriam-Webster's Time Traveler Shows Words Added to Dictionary in any

    Merriam-Webster can show the ways a word can tell you about a period of time, even beyond its annual word of the year. It created a tool called Time Traveler that reveals words that first appeared ...

  18. Time travel through words with Merriam-Webster

    Time travel through words with Merriam-Webster. October 29, 2018 This fascinating tool from Merriam Webster, let's you see when a word was first used in print. 1981 (when I was born) includes words like: graphical user interface, LAN, screen saver, uninstall and unsubscribe but also autocorrect which I would have assumed was only used far later

  19. Merriam-Webster: Time Traveler

    Well Merriam-Webster has you covered with their Time Traveler feature. Spanning a time ranging from 2015 to the 12th century, find out when words like hydrophobic or even a word as common as another were first used in print.

  20. Scout Archives

    One needn't have sesquipedalian tendencies to appreciate Merriam-Webster's online Time Traveler tool. This interactive feature enables visitors to select a particular year and see which words were first known to be used in print during that year. With the most recent years listed first, the Time Traveler makes it fairly easy to look up birth years or other personal anniversaries, and the tool ...