Most of us treat the dictionary like a final authority, a quiet referee that settles arguments about spelling and meaning. But behind those tidy definitions is a surprisingly weird world. Here are some fun, lesser-known facts about dictionaries that might change how you look at words forever.

1. Dictionaries Don’t Decide Words. We Do.

A common myth is that dictionaries approve words. In reality, they document usage, not create it.

If enough people use a word consistently, dictionaries eventually record it, even if linguists resist at first.

Examples:

• selfie
• emoji
• google (as a verb)
• podcast

All of these existed in everyday speech long before they appeared in major dictionaries. Dictionaries are mirrors, not judges.

2. English Dictionaries Are Always Out of Date

By the time a word appears in a dictionary, it is often already years old.

Lexicographers require repeated, widespread evidence before adding an entry. That is why newer slang and internet phrases take time to appear.

Examples currently in flux:

• rizz
• delulu
• unalive

Language moves faster than print, and even faster than online updates.

3. The First Dictionaries Weren’t About Everyday Words

Early English dictionaries did not bother defining common words like house or water. Instead, they focused on “hard words,” borrowed terms ordinary readers might not understand.

Examples from early dictionaries:

• abrogate
• concatenate
• extirpate

Dictionaries originally existed to help people read difficult books, not to explain daily speech.

4. Spelling Used to Be Completely Optional

Before dictionaries standardized spelling, people spelled words however they liked, even their own names.

William Shakespeare spelled his name in multiple ways, including:

• Shakspere
• Shakespeare
• Shakspeare

Even today, English still allows multiple correct spellings:

• color / colour
• theater / theatre
• gray / grey

5. Some Words Exist Only Because of Mistakes

Not every dictionary word has a noble origin. Some were born from simple errors that stuck.

Examples:

• nickname came from a misreading of an ekename
• pea was mistakenly separated from pease
• island gained its silent s due to a false connection with Latin

Once a mistake spreads far enough, dictionaries record it as history, not an error.

6. Dictionaries Contain Opinions, Even When They Try Not To

Dictionaries aim for neutrality, but editorial choices still matter.

Editors decide which definition comes first, whether a usage is labeled informal, slang, or offensive, and which example sentences to include.

For instance, the word literally now includes a definition acknowledging its non-literal use. This change was controversial, but it accurately reflects how people speak.

7. Some Words Are Removed, Not Just Added

Words can disappear from dictionaries if they fall out of use, a process called lexical obsolescence.

Examples of once-common words:

• yclept (named or called)
• peradventure (perhaps)
• gramercy (thank you)

They are not erased from history, but they may vanish from modern print editions.

8. The Longest Entries Aren’t the Longest Words

People love hunting for the longest word, but the longest dictionary entries are usually short, common words with many meanings.

Examples:

• run
• set
• get

The word set alone can have dozens or even hundreds of definitions depending on context. Small words do the heaviest lifting.

9. Dictionaries Are Written by Word Obsessives

Lexicographers read constantly and track how words are used in books, newspapers, television transcripts, and social media.

They do not invent definitions. They gather evidence. A word only earns its place after sustained real-world use.

10. Every Dictionary Tells a Slightly Different Story

No two dictionaries are identical.

Different publishers make different choices about spelling variants, regional usage, tone, and formality. That is why debates about what “the dictionary says” often depend on which dictionary you checked.

Final Thought:

Dictionaries feel fixed and authoritative, but they are really living records of how people think, speak, and change. Every word added and every word forgotten captures a moment in cultural history.

Do you love words and the dictionary? Join other dictionary lovers by playing Wordshake Live and put your vocabulary to the test.