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Hi,
New words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary
Merriam-Webster Inc. has added more than 100 new entries to its new edition of the Collegiate Dictionary. Here are some, along with the year in which Merriam-Webster first found them used in an English-language publication:
Air quotes (1989): gesture made by raising and flexing the index and middle fingers of both hands, used to call attention to a spoken word or expression.
âDark energy (1998): hypothetical form of energy that produces a force that opposes gravity and is thought to cause the accelerating expansion of the universe.
âDirty bomb (1956): bomb designed to release radioactive material.
âDwarf planet (1993): celestial body that orbits the sun and has a spherical shape, but is too small to disturb other objects from its orbit.
âEdamame (1951): immature green soybeans, usually in the pod.
âFanboy (1919): boy who is an enthusiastic devotee, such as of comics or movies.
âInfinity pool (1992): outdoor swimming pool with an edge over which water flows into a trough, but seems to flow into the horizon.
âJukebox musical (1993): musical that features popular songs from the past.
âKiteboarding (1996): the sport of riding on a small surfboard propelled across water by a large kite, to which the rider is harnessed.
âMalware (1990): software designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning.
âMental health day (1971): day that an employee takes off from work to relieve stress or renew vitality.
âMondegreen (1954): word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or sung. From the mishearing in a Scottish ballad of âlaid him on the greenâ as âLady Mondegreen.â
âNetroots (2003): grassroots political activists who communicate via the Internet, especially by blogs.
âNorovirus (2002): any of a genus of small round single-stranded RNA viruses; specifically, Norwalk virus.
âPescatarian (1993): vegetarian whose diet includes fish.
âPhytonutrient (1994): bioactive, plant-derived compound (as resveratrol) associated with positive health effects.
âPretexting (1992): presenting oneself as someone else to obtain private information.
âProsecco (1881): a dry Italian sparkling wine.
âRacino (1995): racetrack at which slot machines are available for gamblers.
âSoju (1978): a Korean vodka distilled from rice.
âSubprime (1995) 1: having or being an interest rate that is higher than a prime rate and is extended especially to low-income borrowers; 2: extending or obtaining a subprime loan.
âSupercross (1983): motorcycle race held in a stadium on a dirt track having hairpin turns and high jumps.
âTexas Hold 'em (1995): Poker in which each player is dealt two cards face down and all players share five cards dealt face-up.
âWebinar (1998): live, online educational presentation during which participating viewers can submit questions and comments.
âWing nut (circa 1900): Slang: one who advocates extreme measures or changes; radical.
âââ
Source: Merriam-Webster Inc
___
Best,
Dan
New words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary
Merriam-Webster Inc. has added more than 100 new entries to its new edition of the Collegiate Dictionary. Here are some, along with the year in which Merriam-Webster first found them used in an English-language publication:
Air quotes (1989): gesture made by raising and flexing the index and middle fingers of both hands, used to call attention to a spoken word or expression.
âDark energy (1998): hypothetical form of energy that produces a force that opposes gravity and is thought to cause the accelerating expansion of the universe.
âDirty bomb (1956): bomb designed to release radioactive material.
âDwarf planet (1993): celestial body that orbits the sun and has a spherical shape, but is too small to disturb other objects from its orbit.
âEdamame (1951): immature green soybeans, usually in the pod.
âFanboy (1919): boy who is an enthusiastic devotee, such as of comics or movies.
âInfinity pool (1992): outdoor swimming pool with an edge over which water flows into a trough, but seems to flow into the horizon.
âJukebox musical (1993): musical that features popular songs from the past.
âKiteboarding (1996): the sport of riding on a small surfboard propelled across water by a large kite, to which the rider is harnessed.
âMalware (1990): software designed to interfere with a computer's normal functioning.
âMental health day (1971): day that an employee takes off from work to relieve stress or renew vitality.
âMondegreen (1954): word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or sung. From the mishearing in a Scottish ballad of âlaid him on the greenâ as âLady Mondegreen.â
âNetroots (2003): grassroots political activists who communicate via the Internet, especially by blogs.
âNorovirus (2002): any of a genus of small round single-stranded RNA viruses; specifically, Norwalk virus.
âPescatarian (1993): vegetarian whose diet includes fish.
âPhytonutrient (1994): bioactive, plant-derived compound (as resveratrol) associated with positive health effects.
âPretexting (1992): presenting oneself as someone else to obtain private information.
âProsecco (1881): a dry Italian sparkling wine.
âRacino (1995): racetrack at which slot machines are available for gamblers.
âSoju (1978): a Korean vodka distilled from rice.
âSubprime (1995) 1: having or being an interest rate that is higher than a prime rate and is extended especially to low-income borrowers; 2: extending or obtaining a subprime loan.
âSupercross (1983): motorcycle race held in a stadium on a dirt track having hairpin turns and high jumps.
âTexas Hold 'em (1995): Poker in which each player is dealt two cards face down and all players share five cards dealt face-up.
âWebinar (1998): live, online educational presentation during which participating viewers can submit questions and comments.
âWing nut (circa 1900): Slang: one who advocates extreme measures or changes; radical.
âââ
Source: Merriam-Webster Inc
___
Best,
Dan
