Merriam-Webster has added 370 new words and definitions to its dictionary, and for better or worse, they reflect our current times, with now-everyday terms related to the pandemic, uneasy economic times and rapidly evolving technology.
While some newly recognized words are hardly new — popular chat abbreviations like “FWIW” and “ICYMI” — “for what it’s worth” and “in case you missed it,” respectively — others are particularly timely. (“a virtual persistent environment”), (“the practice of reducing a product’s amount or volume...
Merriam-Webster has added 370 new words and definitions to its dictionary, and for better or worse, they reflect our current times, with now-everyday terms related to the pandemic, uneasy economic times and rapidly evolving technology.
While some newly recognized words are hardly new — popular chat abbreviations like “FWIW” and “ICYMI” — “for what it’s worth” and “in case you missed it,” respectively — others are particularly timely. “Metaverse” (“a virtual persistent environment”), “shrinkflation” (“the practice of reducing a product’s amount or volume per unit while continuing to offer it at the same price”) and “subvariant” (“one of two or more distinctive forms or types of the same variant”), for example, have become fairly commonplace in MarketWatch lingo.
“Some of these words will amuse or inspire, others may provoke debate. Our job is to capture the language as it is used,” Peter Sokolowski, editor at large for Merriam-Webster, said in a statement Wednesday. “Words offer a window into our ever-changing language and culture, and are only added to the dictionary when there is clear and sustained evidence of use.”
The dictionary company updates its words about once a year, the last time being October 2021.
Here are several more new additions that should be familiar by now to MarketWatch readers:
Altcoin: Any of various cryptocurrencies that are regarded as alternatives to established cryptocurrencies, and especially to bitcoin.
Emergency use authorization: An authorization granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during a public health emergency that allows for the use of a drug or other medical product prior to its full approval.
Greenwash: To make something, such as a product, policy, or practice appear to be more environmentally friendly or less environmentally damaging than it really is.
Microgrid: A small grid, especially a local electrical grid that can be connected to a larger network but that is also capable of operating independently.
Side hustle: Work performed for income supplementary to one’s primary job.
There was also a selection of delicious, food-specific new additions, such as “pumpkin spice,” “ras el hanout,” “omakase,” “mojo,” “birria” and “banh mi.”
And here are some that — to the best of our knowledge — have not yet appeared in MarketWatch copy. (Challenge accepted!)
Yeet: Used to express surprise, approval or excited enthusiasm.
Sus: Suspicious or suspect.
Janky: Of very poor quality.
Adorkable: Socially awkward or quirky in a way that is endearing.
Hoglet: A baby hedgehog.
For more of the new additions, check out Merriam-Webster’s blog post.
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