‘F-Bomb’, ‘sexting’ among new 100 words added to MW Dictionary

12 years ago | Posted in: Education | 663 Views

Springfield – The latest English words to be added to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, which consists of more than 200,000 words, are quite reflective of modern day society. The editor announced some new words: “f-bomb,” “sexting” and “bucket list.”
Have you ever dropped an “f-bomb”? Have you read about the latest craze called “sexting”? When was the last time you had a “aha moment”? If you’re wondering why we’re asking you these questions it’s because these are the latest additions to the 2012 update of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. In this year’s edition, 100 new words and definitions were added. Although terms such as “f-bomb” and “sexting” have been commonly used by news outlets for many years now, media organizations are having a good time iterating these new words this week. “Some of the new words this year provide colorful images,” stated Merriam-Webster Editor at Large Peter Sokolowski in a statement. “Terms like ‘man cave,’ ‘underwater’ (when used to describe mortgages), ‘earworm,’ and ‘bucket list’ paint vivid pictures in your mind. They show that English-speakers can be very creative as they describe the world around them.” Here’s a peak at the list of words: 1. aha moment: a moment of sudden realization, inspiration, insight, recognition, or comprehension (first used in 1939) 2. bucket list: a list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying (first used in 2006) 3. cloud computing: the practice of storing regularly used computer data on multiple servers that can be accessed through the Internet (first used in 2006) 4. copernicium: a short-lived artificially produced radioactive element that has 112 protons (first used in 2009) 5. earworm: a song or melody that keeps repeating in one’s mind (first used in 1802) 6. energy drink: a usually carbonated beverage that typically contains caffeine and other ingredients (as taurine and ginseng) intended to increase the drinker’s energy (first used in 1904) 7. f-bomb: the word f**k —used metaphorically as a euphemism (first used in 1988) 8. game changer: a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way (first used in 1993) 9. gassed: drunk, or drained of energy (first used in in 1919) 10. gastropub: a pub, bar, or tavern that offers meals of high quality (first used in 1996) 11. man cave: a room or space (as in a basement) designed according to the taste of the man of the house to be used as his personal area for hobbies and leisure activities (first used in 1992) 12. mash-up: something created by combining elements from two or more sources (first used in 1859) 13. sexting: the sending of sexually explicit messages or images by cell phone (first used in 2007) 14. systemic risk: the risk that the failure of one financial institution (as a bank) could cause other interconnected institutions to fail and harm the economy as a whole (first used in 1982) 15. underwater: lying, growing, worn, performed, or operating below the surface of the water (first used in 1627)

 
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