Explore
The corpus and Oxford Dictionaries
Dictionaries are built using corpora – but what is a corpus, how is one built, and how do Oxford Dictionaries use them? Explore the world of the corpus.
Varieties of English
English is far more than one language. We look across the world and over time to explore many different varieties of English.
Word lists
Useful crossword answers, words which break common spelling rules, or unusual words to impress your friends: this page has the word lists you're looking for.
Word origins
What is the origin of ‘quiz’? Where did we get the term ‘flea market’? If you’ve ever asked similar questions, you’ll enjoy these word and phrase origins.
Further reading
5 tasty sandwich etymologies
Read moreWhich Joe gave his name to ‘sloppy joes’? We look at five interesting sandwiches and their lexical origins.
13 animal names and their meanings
Read moreHow did the orangutan get its name? What about the aardvark or the squirrel? We delve into the jungle of animal etymologies.
12 synonyms for fool
Read moreAre you looking for a word for a foolish person? We explore twelve interesting words to describe the dunderheads in your life.
6 ‘run’ phrases you probably don’t know
Read moreBefore you run for the hills, let’s run through a list of ‘run’ expressions that are running through our minds.
