Ben Zimmer
@benzimmer.bsky.social
Linguist, lexicographer, language commentator, all-around word nut.
https://linktr.ee/benzimmer
https://linktr.ee/benzimmer
I was on @fox5ny.bsky.social this evening talking about Word of the Year choices for 2025. www.fox5ny.com/video/1752579
Make sure to submit your own nominations for the @americandialect.org Word of the Year! americandialect.org/submit-2025-...
Make sure to submit your own nominations for the @americandialect.org Word of the Year! americandialect.org/submit-2025-...
Word of the Year: Pop culture meets linguistics
Columnist Ben Zimmer joins Arthur Chi'en to talk about the top words of the year and why they're catching on.
www.fox5ny.com
December 7, 2025 at 2:37 AM
I was on @fox5ny.bsky.social this evening talking about Word of the Year choices for 2025. www.fox5ny.com/video/1752579
Make sure to submit your own nominations for the @americandialect.org Word of the Year! americandialect.org/submit-2025-...
Make sure to submit your own nominations for the @americandialect.org Word of the Year! americandialect.org/submit-2025-...
New crossword for @slate.com! Couldn't pass up the Simpsons ref. slate.com/life/2025/12...
December 6, 2025 at 4:13 PM
New crossword for @slate.com! Couldn't pass up the Simpsons ref. slate.com/life/2025/12...
Still tickets available for this! Come join us!
Happy to join @natanlast.bsky.social and Wyna Liu for a fun crossword event sponsored by JASA in NYC on 12/7. Come one, come all! Your ticket includes a copy of Natan's new book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and supports a great cause. jasa.org/events/cross...
December 6, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Still tickets available for this! Come join us!
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Happy to join @natanlast.bsky.social and Wyna Liu for a fun crossword event sponsored by JASA in NYC on 12/7. Come one, come all! Your ticket includes a copy of Natan's new book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and supports a great cause. jasa.org/events/cross...
December 1, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Happy to join @natanlast.bsky.social and Wyna Liu for a fun crossword event sponsored by JASA in NYC on 12/7. Come one, come all! Your ticket includes a copy of Natan's new book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and supports a great cause. jasa.org/events/cross...
Happy to join @natanlast.bsky.social and Wyna Liu for a fun crossword event sponsored by JASA in NYC on 12/7. Come one, come all! Your ticket includes a copy of Natan's new book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and supports a great cause. jasa.org/events/cross...
December 1, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Happy to join @natanlast.bsky.social and Wyna Liu for a fun crossword event sponsored by JASA in NYC on 12/7. Come one, come all! Your ticket includes a copy of Natan's new book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and supports a great cause. jasa.org/events/cross...
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Why the funnest etymologies are almost always wrong benyagoda.substack.com/p/where-posh...
Where 'Posh' Doesn't Come From
The funnest etymologies, alas, are almost always wrong.
benyagoda.substack.com
November 30, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Why the funnest etymologies are almost always wrong benyagoda.substack.com/p/where-posh...
Puzzmo - Cross|word
Play Cross|word on Puzzmo, Take a hint.
www.puzzmo.com
November 30, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
November linkstack (linkducken?), stuffed with words of the year, wordy gifts, and more. | Ht @gretchenmcc.bsky.social @e-briannica.bsky.social @mikepope.com @grammargirl.bsky.social @stefanfatsis.bsky.social @babynames.bsky.social @kottke.org @nybooks.com fritinancy.substack.com/p/november-l...
November linkstack
My Black Friday gift to you: news about names, brands, language, and culture.
fritinancy.substack.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:28 PM
November linkstack (linkducken?), stuffed with words of the year, wordy gifts, and more. | Ht @gretchenmcc.bsky.social @e-briannica.bsky.social @mikepope.com @grammargirl.bsky.social @stefanfatsis.bsky.social @babynames.bsky.social @kottke.org @nybooks.com fritinancy.substack.com/p/november-l...
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Your latest Workplace Word Origins roundup, aka LinkedIn leftovers, on the blog hits 'Black Friday,' 'boutique,' and 'chef.'
mashedradish.com/2025/11/28/w...
Credit to @benzimmer.bsky.social and @btaylorblake.bsky.social for work on 'Black Friday,' coverage of which was I felt due for a reheat.
mashedradish.com/2025/11/28/w...
Credit to @benzimmer.bsky.social and @btaylorblake.bsky.social for work on 'Black Friday,' coverage of which was I felt due for a reheat.
Workplace Word Origins: Black Friday, chef, boutique
Philadelphia traffic jams, Greek storehouses, and Latin heads.
mashedradish.com
November 28, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Your latest Workplace Word Origins roundup, aka LinkedIn leftovers, on the blog hits 'Black Friday,' 'boutique,' and 'chef.'
mashedradish.com/2025/11/28/w...
Credit to @benzimmer.bsky.social and @btaylorblake.bsky.social for work on 'Black Friday,' coverage of which was I felt due for a reheat.
mashedradish.com/2025/11/28/w...
Credit to @benzimmer.bsky.social and @btaylorblake.bsky.social for work on 'Black Friday,' coverage of which was I felt due for a reheat.
November 21, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Antedating seems like a hobby a lot of you would enjoy, especially after you hear Ben's great stories about his discoveries!
Watch: youtu.be/W5SkQo_Dw48
Read: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/ant...
Listen: pod.link/173429229
Watch: youtu.be/W5SkQo_Dw48
Read: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/ant...
Listen: pod.link/173429229
Finding the true history of words, with Ben Zimmer. Grammar Girl 1129
YouTube video by Grammar Girl
youtu.be
November 4, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Antedating seems like a hobby a lot of you would enjoy, especially after you hear Ben's great stories about his discoveries!
Watch: youtu.be/W5SkQo_Dw48
Read: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/ant...
Listen: pod.link/173429229
Watch: youtu.be/W5SkQo_Dw48
Read: grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/ant...
Listen: pod.link/173429229
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Remember how @benzimmer.bsky.social and I talked about the origin of "Big Easy" in last week's podcast?
The show was all about finding earlier uses of words.
Well, it happened again! Ben emailed yesterday to say Barry Popik found even earlier uses of "Big Easy" from 1952.
The show was all about finding earlier uses of words.
Well, it happened again! Ben emailed yesterday to say Barry Popik found even earlier uses of "Big Easy" from 1952.
November 4, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Remember how @benzimmer.bsky.social and I talked about the origin of "Big Easy" in last week's podcast?
The show was all about finding earlier uses of words.
Well, it happened again! Ben emailed yesterday to say Barry Popik found even earlier uses of "Big Easy" from 1952.
The show was all about finding earlier uses of words.
Well, it happened again! Ben emailed yesterday to say Barry Popik found even earlier uses of "Big Easy" from 1952.
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Jazz was such a big deal that the American Dialect Society picked "jazz" as the Word of the Century for the 1900s.
We also talked about the origin of "The Big Easy," "hella," "scalawag," and "Ms." — great stories all!
Listen as you're getting ready for the game tonight: pod.link/173429229
We also talked about the origin of "The Big Easy," "hella," "scalawag," and "Ms." — great stories all!
Listen as you're getting ready for the game tonight: pod.link/173429229
pod.link
October 31, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Jazz was such a big deal that the American Dialect Society picked "jazz" as the Word of the Century for the 1900s.
We also talked about the origin of "The Big Easy," "hella," "scalawag," and "Ms." — great stories all!
Listen as you're getting ready for the game tonight: pod.link/173429229
We also talked about the origin of "The Big Easy," "hella," "scalawag," and "Ms." — great stories all!
Listen as you're getting ready for the game tonight: pod.link/173429229
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Baseball players on the West Coast were talking about "jazz curves" and telling each other to "give it some of the old jazz" (meaning vim and pep).
The word traveled from San Francisco to Chicago to New Orleans, becoming the name for one of America's most iconic musical genres. 2/3
The word traveled from San Francisco to Chicago to New Orleans, becoming the name for one of America's most iconic musical genres. 2/3
October 31, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Baseball players on the West Coast were talking about "jazz curves" and telling each other to "give it some of the old jazz" (meaning vim and pep).
The word traveled from San Francisco to Chicago to New Orleans, becoming the name for one of America's most iconic musical genres. 2/3
The word traveled from San Francisco to Chicago to New Orleans, becoming the name for one of America's most iconic musical genres. 2/3
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Are you watching the World Series tonight?
Well, here's a fun fact to share with your fellow fans:
In this week's podcast, @benzimmer.bsky.social explains how "jazz" was baseball slang from 1912. Yes, "jazz" started as a BASEBALL term! 1/3
🎧 pod.link/173429229
Well, here's a fun fact to share with your fellow fans:
In this week's podcast, @benzimmer.bsky.social explains how "jazz" was baseball slang from 1912. Yes, "jazz" started as a BASEBALL term! 1/3
🎧 pod.link/173429229
October 31, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Are you watching the World Series tonight?
Well, here's a fun fact to share with your fellow fans:
In this week's podcast, @benzimmer.bsky.social explains how "jazz" was baseball slang from 1912. Yes, "jazz" started as a BASEBALL term! 1/3
🎧 pod.link/173429229
Well, here's a fun fact to share with your fellow fans:
In this week's podcast, @benzimmer.bsky.social explains how "jazz" was baseball slang from 1912. Yes, "jazz" started as a BASEBALL term! 1/3
🎧 pod.link/173429229
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
new indie puzzle highlights, feat. @xws.bsky.social and a double dose of @benzimmer.bsky.social: blog.bewilderinglypuzzles.com/2025/10/indi...
Indie puzzle highlights
October 20: Pitch Perfect (Ben Zimmer, Defector) October 21: Untitled (Ben Zimmer, Slate) October 25: Puzzmo Mini Crossword #25 (Brooke H...
blog.bewilderinglypuzzles.com
October 30, 2025 at 5:02 PM
new indie puzzle highlights, feat. @xws.bsky.social and a double dose of @benzimmer.bsky.social: blog.bewilderinglypuzzles.com/2025/10/indi...
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Finding the true history of words, with Ben Zimmer. Grammar Girl 1129
YouTube video by Grammar Girl
youtu.be
October 30, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
This week, I talked with @benzimmer.bsky.social about the linguistic detective work of antedating words — finding earlier usages than those published in dictionaries.
Learn about the surprising origins of "Ms.," "scallywag," and the baseball history of "jazz"!
🎧 Listen now: pod.link/173429229
Learn about the surprising origins of "Ms.," "scallywag," and the baseball history of "jazz"!
🎧 Listen now: pod.link/173429229
October 30, 2025 at 3:10 PM
This week, I talked with @benzimmer.bsky.social about the linguistic detective work of antedating words — finding earlier usages than those published in dictionaries.
Learn about the surprising origins of "Ms.," "scallywag," and the baseball history of "jazz"!
🎧 Listen now: pod.link/173429229
Learn about the surprising origins of "Ms.," "scallywag," and the baseball history of "jazz"!
🎧 Listen now: pod.link/173429229
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
live now with today's @slate.com from @benzimmer.bsky.social, @defector.com by @benzimmer.bsky.social and a blog puz from @giltcomplex.bsky.social!
www.twitch.tv/crossweirdtv
www.twitch.tv/crossweirdtv
October 22, 2025 at 10:11 PM
live now with today's @slate.com from @benzimmer.bsky.social, @defector.com by @benzimmer.bsky.social and a blog puz from @giltcomplex.bsky.social!
www.twitch.tv/crossweirdtv
www.twitch.tv/crossweirdtv
October 21, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
The Crossword, Oct. 20: Pitch Perfect defector.com/the-crosswor...
The Crossword, Oct. 20: Pitch Perfect | Defector
Let’s get in the solving zone. This week’s puzzle was constructed by Ben Zimmer (who created our first official Defector puzzle two years ago!), and edited by Hoang-Kim Vu. Ben is a linguist,…
defector.com
October 20, 2025 at 3:44 PM
The Crossword, Oct. 20: Pitch Perfect defector.com/the-crosswor...
Reposted by Ben Zimmer
Is "-fishing" a new libfix? I look into "chatfishing" along with "hatfishing" and "curtfishing" — and, of course, "catfishing." | ht @benzimmer.bsky.social @myl1947.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/fritinan...
open.substack.com/pub/fritinan...
Word of the week: Chatfishing
Fishy business, on and offline.
open.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Is "-fishing" a new libfix? I look into "chatfishing" along with "hatfishing" and "curtfishing" — and, of course, "catfishing." | ht @benzimmer.bsky.social @myl1947.bsky.social
open.substack.com/pub/fritinan...
open.substack.com/pub/fritinan...
I've got the @slate.com Sunday crossword (with a special shout-out to 34-Down)
slate.com/life/2025/10...
slate.com/life/2025/10...
October 19, 2025 at 2:39 PM
I've got the @slate.com Sunday crossword (with a special shout-out to 34-Down)
slate.com/life/2025/10...
slate.com/life/2025/10...
I'm back again with another Saturday Stumper (super-tough @newsday.bsky.social crossword).
brainsonly.com/global/netwo...
www.gamelab.com/games/stans-...
brainsonly.com/global/netwo...
www.gamelab.com/games/stans-...
October 18, 2025 at 9:52 PM
I'm back again with another Saturday Stumper (super-tough @newsday.bsky.social crossword).
brainsonly.com/global/netwo...
www.gamelab.com/games/stans-...
brainsonly.com/global/netwo...
www.gamelab.com/games/stans-...
October 8, 2025 at 3:49 PM