Words can do just about anything. Not only do they define feelings, actions, ideas, and everyday things, but they also can describe people’s personalities, reveal where you’re from, and even give a name to your doctor’s messy handwriting. 

But some words have a more meta job: They describe other words. English has a surprisingly rich vocabulary for doing just that — one that captures the tricks, quirks, accidents, and downright oddities that make language so much fun. Here are 14 of them.

If you’ve ever heard Jimi Hendrix sing, “’Scuse me while I kiss this guy,” you’ve experienced a mondegreen — a misheard word or phrase, especially in song lyrics. (Jimi actually sang, “’Scuse me while I kiss the sky,” in the 1967 hit “Purple Haze.”) The term “mondegreen” came from a similar mishearing: Writer Sylvia Wright thought she heard the name “Lady Mondegreen” in a Scottish ballad where the actual words were “laid him on the green.” She officially coined the term “mondegreen” in 1954.

You know that people can have sandwiches named after them (see: the Reuben), but did you know that “sandwich” itself is named after a person? (That would be John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich.) This makes it an eponym, or a word that comes from a (real or fictional) person’s name. “Boycott,” which comes from Charles Boycott, a 19th-century English land agent who became the target of a famous campaign of social ostracism, is another example.

Before a word officially becomes a word, it can be a neologism, or a newly coined term created to describe something genuinely new or as a bit of wordplay. “Blog,” “selfie,” and “doomscrolling” all began their lives as neologisms. The term itself, which derives from the French néologie, meaning “the coining of new words,” is much older; its first known use was in 1754. 

A retronym is a type of neologism where a new word or phrase is created to distinguish an older version of something from its newer model. “Acoustic guitar,” for example, became a useful retronym after the invention of the electric guitar. Similarly, terms such as “snail mail” and “landline” emerged to distinguish older technologies from their newer counterparts. 

A portmanteau is a word formed by blending parts of two or more other words, combining their sounds or spellings — and usually their meanings, too. “Brunch,” for example, combines “breakfast” and “lunch.” We have Lewis Carroll to thank for “portmanteau”; it comes from Through the Looking-Glass, where the word, a play on an old term for “suitcase,” is used to describe a word packed with two meanings.

A backronym is an existing word, phrase, or name that’s later turned into an acronym — an abbreviation formed from the initial letters of a series of words — through the invention of a phrase to fit its letters. For example, SAD, or seasonal affective disorder — a type of depression that typically occurs in the fall and winter months and is triggered by fewer daylight hours — was given the name so that the acronym would be appropriate for the disorder. “Backronym,” a portmanteau of “back” and “acronym,” first appeared in 1983 in The Washington Post, when columnist Bob Levey asked readers to submit their best neologisms. He credited it as “the brainchild of Meredith G. Williams of Potomac” and defined it as the “same as an ‘acronym,’ except that the words were chosen to fit the letters.”

The scariest thing about a ghost word, a term that appears in a dictionary or other text but doesn’t actually exist in the lexicon, is that it typically got there because of a typo, transcription error, or misunderstanding (oh, the horror!). “Dord,” which appeared in the second edition of Webster’s New International Dictionary for years before editors realized it was a mistake caused by a notation being misread as a word, is one famous example. 

An eggcorn is a mistaken version of a word or phrase that sounds like the original but makes its own kind of sense. For example, “for all intensive purposes” is an eggcorn for “for all intents and purposes”: It’s wrong, but it plausibly could work. The term “eggcorn,” coined by linguist Geoffrey Pullum, comes from someone mishearing “acorn.”

Similar to an eggcorn, a malapropism is the accidental use of a word that sounds similar to the one intended but has a wildly different meaning. One famous example comes from former President George W. Bush during a 2000 campaign speech, when he declared, “We cannot let terrorists and rogue nations hold this nation hostile or hold our allies hostile.” (He meant “hostage,” not “hostile.”) Though its first known use was in 1826, “malapropism” comes from Mrs. Malaprop, a character in Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 1775 play The Rivals, who had a memorable habit of making such verbal blunders as describing someone as “the pineapple of politeness” instead of “the pinnacle of politeness.”

Rev. Dr. William Archibald Spooner, an Oxford dean and lecturer, was a noted scholar but reportedly prone to regular verbal mix-ups — so much so that the accidental switching of sounds between two or more words, resulting in a funny new phrase, became known as a spoonerism. Saying “blushing crow” instead of “crushing blow” is one of the most famous examples attributed to him.

A contronym is a word with two meanings that contradict each other. “Sanction,” for example, can mean either “to approve something” or “to impose a penalty,” while “cleave” can mean “to split apart” or “to cling together.” These linguistic double agents have multiple names, including “autoantonym,” “antagonym,” or “Janus word,” a reference to the Roman god Janus, who was traditionally depicted with two faces looking in opposite directions.

If you’re prone to spelling mistakes, a heteronym has probably been to blame at least once. Derived from Greek roots meaning “different name,” “heteronym” refers to a word that’s spelled the same as another word but pronounced differently and with a different meaning. For example, “lead” can refer to the metal when pronounced “led,” or to guiding someone when pronounced “leed.” 

“Lead” is also a homograph, which is a broader term for words that are spelled alike but differ in meaning, pronunciation, or both. Not all homographs are heteronyms, though: “Bear,” for example, is spelled and pronounced the same whether it means the animal or “to endure something.” (To be a heteronym, the noun and the verb would be pronounced differently.) The term comes from Greek roots meaning “same writing.”

If you love Lewis Carroll’s 1871 poem “Jabberwocky,” you’re a fan of nonce words.  These are words invented for a very specific occasion or context and that are not meant to become a permanent part of the language — though some do catch on. The term comes from the phrase “for the nonce,” meaning “for the particular occasion,” so a nonce word is quite literally a word made for the moment. “Chortle,” a chuckle-snort combo, is one of Carroll’s nonce words that has stuck around. 

Used in goods ranging from formal footwear to watch bands and wallets, patent leather is a stylish, extremely durable material relied on by clothiers around the globe. By definition, patent leather is “a leather with a hard smooth glossy surface,” and it’s known as much for its eye-catching luster as for  its water- and scuff-resistant nature. But is this style of leather actually under patent, or is the term less literal in nature?

The Oxford English Dictionary records the term “patent leather,” referring to leather coated in a protective varnish, appearing in print by the end of the 18th century. The process for creating patent leather in those times was later described in detail in an 1857 edition of Scientific American. It involved boiling a mixture of linseed oil and white lead, rubbing that into traditional leather to form a protective layer, and then finally applying a varnish to give the leather its shiny appearance.

As to the etymological origins of the term,there’s a likely connection to English tanners of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Many of those tanners received patents related to leathermaking; among them was one patent from 1799 for “a method of painting and colouring all kinds of leather.”

But patent leather, as we know it today, was perfected and popularized in America by inventor Seth Boyden. During the 1810s to 1820s, Boyden took inspiration from those European leather workers and came up with an American version of varnished leather. While this was referred to as patent leather — carrying over from the Europeans who had previously patented similar techniques — Boyden never actually patented his own process.

Every day, millions of people turn to Google not for news, sports results, or directions, but simply to ask, “What does this word mean?” And according to research from Word Unscrambler, which analyzed 2026 Google search data, the words people look up the most aren’t necessarily obscure or particularly technical. Instead, they’re often words tied to emotions, relationships, and the state of the world around them, skewing toward abstract concepts rather than concrete objects. Together, they offer a window into what people are actually trying to understand right now. Here are the top 10 words that people have been looking up in 2026, ranked from most searched to least.

The most-searched definition of 2026 so far also ranks among the newer entries in the dictionary. “Gaslighting” is defined by Merriam-Webster as “psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts.” It’s basically an insidious way of warping someone’s perception of reality or memories, often with the intent of making them more easily manipulated by, or dependent on, the perpetrator. It’s become somewhat of a buzzword in social media discussions of toxic relationships, but the term comes from Patrick Hamilton’s 1938 play Gas Light and later film adaptations, in which a man tries to convince his wife that she’s going insane. 

What is love? That’s an age-old question and one that remains just as popular in our modern era. It’s a classic example of a word that feels obvious until you try to define it. Dictionaries tend to have multiple definitions of “love,” none of which fully encapsulates the essence of something we all feel but struggle to put into words. The steady search volume attests to love’s capriciousness — and maybe shows that attempts to define the concept are best left to poets and songwriters. 

A heavily political term, “fascism” is defined as “a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual.” It tends to go hand in hand with the forced suppression of political opponents and dissenting voices — in other words, it’s not a good thing. Its appearance among top searches is perhaps not surprising given how often the term is invoked and just as often disputed.

Empathy is the ability to understand, recognize, and share the thoughts and feelings of another person — akin to the expression “walking in someone else’s shoes.” While sympathy is simply feeling for someone, empathy is more like feeling with them. As Maya Angelou once told The New York Times, “I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.”

“Integrity” is defined as “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.” If a person has genuine integrity, they tend to be incorruptible and unwavering in their ethical beliefs or code of honor. It’s something ideally possessed by people in positions of power; Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “The supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity.” The concept of integrity can also apply to things — a well-constructed building has structural integrity, while the integrity of a novel or other work of art can come from its wholeness or sense of completeness. 

“Metaphor” is one of those linguistic terms we all learn in school, but the precise meaning might sometimes escape us. A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unrelated things by stating that one thing is another (not to be confused with a simile, which describes something by comparing it to something else using “like” or “as”). Shakespeare was a big fan of metaphors — for example, his famous line “All the world’s a stage,” from As You Like It, states that the whole world is a stage, implying that we’re all moving through life as if we are actors.

Like “gaslighting,” “narcissist” is a word that’s tossed around quite a bit in relation to toxic relationships. There is a clinical usage of the word, but more casually, Merriam-Webster defines it as “an extremely self-centered person who has an exaggerated sense of self-importance.” The word comes from the Greek myth of Narcissus, an uncommonly beautiful man who falls in love with his own reflection in the waters of a pool.

Culture, a bit like love, is something we all understand but might have difficulty defining. Merriam-Webster has multiple definitions, ranging from “the beliefs, customs, arts, etc. of a particular social group, place, or time” to “the act or process of cultivating living material (such as bacteria or viruses).” Its broad, flexible definition likely explains why so many people search for it, as it gets used in wildly different contexts, from national identity to office dynamics to icky things grown in petri dishes. 

“Democracy” is most succinctly defined as “government by the people.” It involves majority rule, being at the opposite end of the spectrum to a dictatorship. As it’s a heavily debated societal term, its search volume tends to spike alongside election cycles and political news coverage. It’s also a popular word among stressed-out parents, who like to remind their unruly and demanding children that “this family is not a democracy.”

Rounding out the list, “bias” means  “an inclination of temperament or outlook” that often involves “a personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment.” When we become biased toward something or someone, we are being partial — perhaps unduly or unfairly — or even prejudiced. In some cases, a bias can be trivial, such as supporting a certain sports team, while in others it can involve a genuinely harmful prejudgment. The word’s broad range of use likely explains its place as one of the most searched-for definitions.

Think back to when you were growing up, sitting around the dinner table with the family, and having a conversation with your parents. For many of us, those days gone by evoke pleasant memories — and also provide a fascinating look at popular words and phrases of yesteryear. Though a few have stood the test of time, most of those once-common words have since been largely forgotten. Today’s English may feel like a wildly different language from the dialect our parents or grandparents spoke. Here are seven words and phrases that were popular with past generations, though you’re not likely to hear them anymore.

Hot Diggity Dog

If your folks grew up in the mid-20th century, they may have busted out the phrase “hot diggity dog!” to express excitement. This saying was first printed in a 1921 edition of the St. Joseph Gazette in Missouri. It’s derived from earlier and similar phrases used to express approval, such as “hot dog!” and “hot-ziggety!” The expression “hot diggity dog!” remained popular into the late 1970s, even appearing in Oscar Mayer Wiener commercials from that time. Today, the phrase is rarely heard.

Hootenanny

The term “hootenanny” caught on in the 1940s to refer to “a gathering at which folk singers entertain often with the audience joining in.” The origins are unknown, and it’s entirely possible that it’s simply a nonsensical creation. But your parents likely used it well into the 1960s, when it served as the title of a musical variety TV show. Much like folk music itself, however, this word has given way to more modern slang for musical gatherings. Take “rager,” for instance, which involves more intense dance music than what your folks probably listened to back in the day.

Dungarees

Jeans have never gone out of style, but if your parents wore a pair of heavy denim pants prior to the 1950s, they probably called them dungarees. This term came from the Hindi word dungri, meaning “coarse calico.” It was widely used among English speakers in the first half of the 20th century, but in the mid-1950s and early ’60s, the newly coined term “jeans” emerged to refer to blue denim pants. Baby boomers adopted this word to replace “dungarees” (and other forgotten terms such as “waist overalls”) as the more widely accepted standard.

Drop a Dime

The phrase “drop a dime” is antiquated for multiple reasons — not the least of which is the fact that it’s hard to imagine anything costing a dime anymore. The expression comes from the former cost of a payphone, which is widely considered to be a relic of the past. But both 10-cent price tags and payphones were common in our parents’ generation, and so was this phrase, which means “to alert the police about another person’s wrongdoing.” It was coined in the 1960s when people could use a public phone to anonymously report wrongdoing to the cops.

Ameche

While Don Ameche isn’t a household name among modern film buffs, the talented actor was well known during the mid-20th century. He famously starred in the title role of the 1939 film The Story of Alexander Graham Bell. It was Bell, of course, who invented the telephone, and after the film’s release, “ameche” became familiar slang for the telephone.

Passion Pit

You might not want this image in your head, but when your parents were courting each other, they may have gone on a date to the passion pit. This dated 1930s slang refers to drive-in movie theaters, which were common spots for teenagers to get away from their parents and canoodle in their cars. “Canoodle” is yet another term you don’t hear that often today. It refers to the “amorous embracing” your folks may have done at the passion pit.

Copacetic

The origins of the term “copacetic” are a mystery, with one theory suggesting that it originated as African American slang in the 1880s. There’s evidence of this term in print as early as 1919, meaning “very satisfactory.” If your parents were music or movie fans, they likely knew and used this term, as it was popularized by the tap dancing legend Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, who starred alongside Shirley Temple in several 1930s films. The Grateful Dead later used it in the lyrics of the 1987 track “West L.A. Fadeaway,” though by that point the word had already begun to fade in popularity.