A dictionary reader asked about the distinction between persons and people, both indicating plurality but having different connotations.
If we start with the etymologies of the two words we can see that they are coming from different directions… Read more…
Tweet us, comment and tag us in your most imaginative, outlandish and of course, fitting new terms. We’ve got a list of animals below, but don’t stop there, we want your most obscure, clever, interesting and fun takes on what makes an Aussie collective noun.
We’ll give our favourite entries prizes from the new Seventh Edition Macquarie Dictionary range. Read more…
This NAIDOC Week, we’re celebrating by sharing some fun facts around the many different Aboriginal languages and cultures in Australia. Read more…
The different meanings of colour words normally flow from their basic sense and are self-evident.
Blue for the old-fashioned washing powder came about because it turned blue in water. A blue for a sporting award came about because the ribbon with which the person or animal was draped was blue. Read more…
Fitspo, bromance. The world is full of made up words but this is a new one – Covfefe. Last night US President, Donald Trump, tweeted “Despite the constant negative press covfefe”. So what does it mean?
Victoria Morgan, editor of the Macquarie Dictionary, speaks to Raf Epstein.
One of the ways in which English expands the lexicon is by using what are called ‘productive’ prefixes or suffixes. These are little working units with an element of meaning which can be attached to the beginning or the end of another word to create a new word. Some of these are very durable while others are fashionable for a moment so that they generate a cluster of new words and then fade away. Read more…
We often describe reactions in terms of the effect they have on our bodies, both real and imagined.
So something that is scary is hair-raising – our hair stands on end, or is bloodcurdling – we imagine our blood solidifying like curdled milk. Read more…
Announcing Macquarie Dictionary’s new online student resource! We have expanded our extensive online offerings to include a dictionary and thesaurus compiled specifically for students.
You can get a free 30-day individual trial or contact us to subscribe for your school. Read more…
A dictionary user has commented ‘I can agree to disagree but if I can dismantle, why can’t I mantle?’ Read more…
We still say it – or at least the older generation does because they are still living in a world where sliced bread is a staple – for toast in the morning, for school lunches. Cutting a crusty loaf yourself is regarded, from that point of view, as some sort of throwback to Neanderthal times… Read more…
