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What makes a word a 'word'? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 15, 2026 · 47 MIN

What makes a word a 'word'?

from Ridiculous History · host iHeartPodcasts

Words are everywhere -- and we're grateful, because we can't do this show without them. But all words were, at some point, just made up. So how does society decide what counts as a "real" word? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the history of language, and the oddly specific systems dictionaries put in place to decide whether a given word or phase is legitimate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What makes a word a 'word'?

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How long is this episode of Ridiculous History?

This episode is 47 minutes long.

When was this Ridiculous History episode published?

This episode was published on January 15, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Words are everywhere -- and we're grateful, because we can't do this show without them. But all words were, at some point, just made up. So how does society decide what counts as a "real" word? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the...

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Yes, a full transcript is available for this episode. You can read the complete transcript on the episode page.

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