Daily
Crossword
Learner's Word
of the Day
Daily
Podcast
FREE Merriam-Webster Tools
FREE Merriam-Webster Online Toolbar
Look up words instantly while browsing anywhere on the web.
FREE Learner's Tools
Start improving your English skills with LearnersDictionary.com. Sign up for FREE daily e-mail!
Browse the Dictionary:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
#
Browse the Medical Dictionary:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
#

TOP TEN: Unusual Phobias

#1: Haphephobia

What it is: A morbid fear of being touched.

Word history: Haptein is a Greek word that means to fasten (that is, to bring two things together).

Bonus points: Haptics is the English word for "a science concerned with the sense of touch," used in technologies like touch-screen displays that let users feel clicks.

  See All Top Ten Lists »
New Title Offers 5-Language Fun
Merriam-Webster's Compact 5-Language Visual Dictionary features thousands of full-color illustrations and more than 9,500 terms in English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian. Learn key words in a wide variety of subjects like architecture, science, the animal kingdom and more. Merriam-Webster's Compact 5-Language Visual Dictionary is the ideal resource for teachers, students, parents and translators, and is available in bookstores and online now.
Help for Haiti
The recent earthquake in Haiti has left a trail of devastation in its wake. Merriam-Webster has set up a Help for Haiti page providing links to trusted charities already hard at work providing humanitarian aid. Please donate today and help the thousands of victims of this tragedy.
Merriam-Webster Online: Now with Video!
Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online now features "Ask the Editor" videos throughout the online dictionary. Our lexicographers address etymology and usage issues, words in the news, frequently-asked language questions and more. Stay tuned: new videos will be posted periodically. Please visit the archives to view them all. Enjoy!