If you say 'anti-aging,' how anti would it have to be, really? My guess is not much. Any amount of sunscreen could be considered anti-aging. Erin McKean agingamountanti Change image and share on social
Part of the joy and pleasure of English is its boundless creativity: I can describe a new machine as bicyclish, I can say that I'm vitamining myself to stave off a cold, I can complain that someone is the smilingest person I've ever seen, and I can decide, out of the blue, that 'fetch' is now the word I want to use to mean 'cool.' Erin McKean bicyclishblueboundless share on social
There are very few good ways to get publicity for a dictionary. Erin McKean dictionarygoodpublicity Change image and share on social
If you're talking about how you promoted synergy in an organization, that could mean you just got everybody together for donuts twice a week. Erin McKean donutorganizationpromote Change image and share on social
By the time the traditionally male lexicographers become interested in looking at fashion words, their origins are lost in the mists of time. Erin McKean fashioninterestlexicographer Change image and share on social
Writers who hedge their use of unfamiliar, infrequent, or informal words with 'I know that's not a real word,' hoping to distance themselves from criticism, run the risk of creating doubt where perhaps none would have naturally arisen. Erin McKean arisecreatecriticism share on social
If words are doing their job, then their novelty will not be the most noticeable thing about them. Erin McKean jobnoticeablenovelty Change image and share on social
Words are so lovable. How could you not love words? Erin McKean lovableloveword Change image and share on social
We think people go to a dictionary to find out what a word means. Most people go to the dictionary because they don't want to look stupid. Erin McKean dictionaryfindmean Change image and share on social
Almost any word can be drafted to serve as a verb, even words we think of as eternal and unchanging, stuck in their more traditional roles. Erin McKean drafteternalrole Change image and share on social