Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day Creators & Guests

Peter Sokolowski is a lexicographer. Currently, he is an editor-at-large for Merriam-Webster and an adjunct professor at Amherst College.Sokolowski is also a freelance musician and has often appeared as a guest host on New England Public Radio's "Jazz Beat."Sokolowski received his M.A. in French from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Caleb Crain is a writer.Crain's book reviews and essays have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, The London Review of Books, The Nation, The New York Times Book Review, Out, and The New Republic. His first book, "American Sympathy: Men, Friendship, and Literature in the New Nation," was published in 2001. His first novel, "Necessary Errors," was published in 2013 and was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award.

Patrick Wintour is an international affairs journalist who covers conflicts, diplomacy, and global politics. Currently, he is the diplomatic editor of The Guardian.Wintour began his journalism career in 1976 at the New Statesman. In 1983, he joined The Guardian as chief Labour Correspondent, becoming Chief Political Correspondent in 1988, Political Editor at The Observer in 1996, Chief Political Correspondent back at The Guardian in 2000, Political Editor in 2006, and Diplomatic Editor in 2015.His work has also been featured in The Irish Times and various Yahoo platforms.