“Mercy” was not a word I used or thought about much before Pope Francis started saying it all the time. But since he invited everyone to a year to “contemplate the mystery of mercy,” I figured it would be a good time to get a bit more familiar with the word itself.
So I reached out to Kory Stamper with some questions. Kory is a lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, where she writes dictionary definitions as well as articles for M-W’s various websites. A self-proclaimed “word nerd,” Kory blogs and talks about the history and use of English with a wonderful blend of insight and humor, and she graciously took a few minutes to share some thoughts about mercy.
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