200 New Words and Definitions Added to Merriam-Webster
Including beach read, street corn, touch grass, and nepo baby
Springfield, MA, Oct. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today Merriam-Webster announced the addition of 200 new words and definitions to its iconic dictionary – maybe not a beach read, but worthy of a For You page and nearly as irresistible as street corn. All the additions have demonstrated widespread use over time, and offer a window into the world today.
From arts and entertainment we get freestyle, “an improvised performance especially of a rap,” and the jazzlike sounds of a jam band. More bookish diversions include true crime, a genre “that depicts and examines real crime cases,” and beach read, “a usually light work of escapist fiction (such as a thriller or romance.)” You can also lose yourself in a dungeon crawler, a video game “primarily focused on defeating enemies while exploring a usually randomly generated labyrinthine or dungeon-like environment.”
Foodies who avoid ultra-processed fare can instead enjoy burrata, “mozzarella formed into a ball-shaped casing that contains curds and cream”; capicola, “a seasoned Italian pork that is cut from the neck and top shoulder”; and street corn, a grilled variation “coated with a creamy spread (such as mayonnaise, sour cream, or crema) and garnished with toppings (such as lime juice, cotija cheese, and chili powder).” While washing it down, consider the International Bitterness Unit, “used to assess the concentration of a bitter compound found in hops in order to provide information about how bitter a beer is.”
From science and nature comes heat index, a value “derived from a calculation using air temperature and relative humidity,” and – now invading the dictionary – the dreaded spotted lanternfly.
Social media fuels shadow ban and touch grass, “to participate in normal activities in the real world especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions,” and For You page (or FYP), “a social media feed that contains personalized content based on the user’s interests.”
Informal words and slang entering the lexicon include the British term snog, and the colorful acronym IDGAF (not defined here, because politeness exceeds badassery).
Other notable additions include nepo baby, “a person who gains success or opportunities through familial connections,” cash grab, creepy-crawly, and the political terms MAGA, far left, far right, classical liberalism, and late capitalism.
“Our lexicographers monitor a huge range of sources to select which words and definitions to add,” says Peter Sokolowski, Editor at Large for Merriam-Webster. “From academic journals to social media, these give us a very thorough view of the English language.”
“The one constant of a vibrant living language is change,” explains Gregory Barlow, President of Merriam-Webster. “We continuously encounter new ways of describing the world around us, and the dictionary is a record of those changes.”
An Infographic on How a Word Gets Into the Dictionary
About Merriam-Webster Inc.
For over 180 years, Merriam-Webster has been America’s leading provider of language information. Each month, our award-winning websites, apps, and social media channels offer guidance to tens of millions of visitors. In print, our publications include Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate® Dictionary (among the best-selling books in American history) and books for students of all ages and abilities. All Merriam-Webster products and services are backed by the largest team of dictionary editors and writers in America.
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CONTACT: Meghan Lunghi Merriam-Webster Inc. mlunghi@m-w.com
