How long has hip been hot? Why are folks from Delaware called Blue Hens? Did William Shakespeare really coin alligator and be-all-and-end-all? People have been asking Merriam-Webster questions like those for decades. Now the Lighter Side of Language series provides the fascinating (and sometimes surprising) answers.

In this new series, noted authors and Merriam-Webster editors take a fresh, entertaining look at words and word lore, bringing readers delightful stories about how language has been used in different times and places. For fun or serious reference, readers will find themselves browsing for hours!

By the way, hip has been in since the beginning of this century, Blue Hens harks back to a Revolutionary War regiment from Delaware, and Shakespeare gets the credit as one of the first users of both alligator and be-all-and-end-all.