How do electrical signals become "about" something? Through purely physical processes, neural networks transform activity ...

Parsimony, meaning extreme frugality, balances prudence with potential meanness. Originating from Latin for thrift, this word ...

A demagogue is a leader who gains power by appealing to emotions, fears, and prejudices, rather than reason or truth. This ...

Word of the day: FATTER Pronunciation: fet·ter UK/ ˈfet.ər/ and US /ˈfet̬.ɚ/ As a noun, 'fetter' means a chain or shackle ...

Thanks to the evolution of language, technology, and lots of hyperbole, these words used to convey a lot more merit, emotion, or simply seriousness than they do nowadays. Ah, “genius.” Once reserved ...

Word meanings can shift radically, just like pronunciation. Called semantic change, a shift in a word's meaning occurs when frequent misuse becomes standard, or when metaphoric use becomes literal.

Wordplay that involves changing one letter in a given word to produce a different legitimate word can be traced to Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece puzzle called the doublet. For example, given the initial ...