Merriam-Webster added more than 1,000 words to the dictionary on Tuesday, USA Today College reports. So next time your parents ask you what the heck “face-palm” means, tell them to look it up!
According to Merriam-Webster, “these are words that have demonstrated frequent and increasing use in a variety of sources, and are therefore likely to be encountered by a reader—and should be in the dictionary.”
“The words range from the scientific to the conversational, and have all been added to the dictionary because they have established themselves in the English language,” Merriam-Webster added.
For example, binge-watch, photo-bomb and humblebrag have made it in now that we’re in the era of Netflix and selfie culture. And of course, online dating has brought us the new Merriam-Webster entry for “ghost.” It’s no longer just a “disembodied soul” but also a verb meaning “to abruptly cut off all contact with (someone, such as a former romantic partner) by no longer accepting or responding to phone calls, instant messages, etc.” What a time to be alive!
In addition, Merriam-Webster added new medical terms such as EpiPen and urgent care and political acronyms like SCOTUS and FLOTUS. The verbs throw shade and geek out are also new dictionary entries. And as college students, we’re already super familiar with new entries like microaggression, first world problem and safe space.
“All of these words have been observed, collected, and researched, with many examples in context used to write definitions that explain both basic meanings and specific usage,” Merriam-Webster said.
These words show how our language is ever-evolving, and Merriam-Webster is already at work on the next batch of words.
You can check out other words Merriam-Webster added here.