As our language evolves, so too must dictionary

Dictionary.com adds 313 new words as it keeps up with fast-changing times

We’re glad we’re not responsible for managing the entries for a dictionary.

Our language is ever changing and evolving, especially in this world of the internet and social media. It seems like people are constantly making up new words, or combining words to create unexpected phrasings, and poof – suddenly these weird words become mainstream language.

Dictionary.com is at the forefront of this battle. On the plus side, as an online dictionary, it can keep up with the times, so to speak.

On the negative side, that’s a lot of changes!

In a statement, Dictionary.com Senior Editor Nick Norlen noted, “The events are relentless, but so is the pace with which language adapts to the changes–with new and newly prominent ways of referring to a wild variety of very specific things.”

This week, the website added 313 new words, 130 new definitions and 1,140 revised definitions.

Some of these words and phrases we’ve heard before.

There’s “digital nomad,” used to refer to a “person who works remotely while traveling for leisure, especially when having no fixed, permanent address.”

And “petfluencer,” which is “a person who gains a large following on social media by posting entertaining images and videos of their cat, dog or other pet.”

“Woke” also made the list, defined as “of or relating to a liberal progressive orthodoxy, especially promoting inclusive policies or ideologies that welcome or embrace ethnic, racial or sexual minorities.”

Given how often we hear that word bandied about, even here in Yuma, we’re a bit shocked it’s just being updated now.

Other new entries aren’t familiar at all.

That would include “cakeage” (“a fee charged by a restaurant for serving a cake brought in from outside”), which can’t be confused with “cakeism”

(the false belief that one can enjoy the benefits of two choices that are in fact mutually exclusive, or have it both ways”).

And while we’ve seen this in practice, we’ve never heard the phrase “rage farming,” which is “the tactic of intentionally provoking political opponents, typically by posting inflammatory content on social media, in order to elicit angry responses and thus high engagement or widespread exposure for the original poster.”

In fact, Dictionary.com even added or updated 11 entries on bread alone, including “frybread” – “a flatbread made from fried dough and served with a variety of toppings, such as powdered sugar or taco ingredients: a signature food among many Native American communities, especially in the Southwest.” We’d say that entry is long overdue – and delicious! We don’t envy dictionary curators as they navigate our language. But it’s fascinating to see what makes the cut!

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