30 words you won't believe were added to the dictionary in the last decade
Talia Lakritz
- The Oxford English Dictionary is constantly adding new words and some new additions may come as a surprise.
- Fans of "The Sopranos" will be happy to see "Fuhgeddaboudit" in the dictionary.
- Words like "vom" and "bridey" may raise some eyebrows.
The Oxford English Dictionary adds new words on a regular basis to reflect new cultural phenomena.
Some of these words may have seemed silly at first but slowly worked their way into everyday conversation. Some of them are just silly, period.
Here are 30 surprising words that somehow made it into the dictionary.
"Bae" is a term of endearment.
Definition: A boyfriend or girlfriend; a romantic or sexual partner. Originally and chiefly as a term of endearment or affectionate form of address.
"Bridey" is another way of saying bride-like.
Definition: Like a bride; resembling that of a bride.
"Dumpster fire" can have a more metaphorical definition.
Definition: A fire in a dumpster, or a chaotic or disastrously mishandled situation.
"Jerkface" might be used in a heated argument.
Definition: An irritating, despicable, or contemptible person. Chiefly as a term of abuse.
"Noob" began as video game slang.
Definition: Originally and often in online contexts: a person new to or inexperienced in a particular sphere or activity, especially computing or video games.
Cocktail parties can be "schmoozefests."
Definition: An event, meeting, etc, involving a great deal of schmoozing, especially one at which people chat in an ingratiating or insincere way.
Comedians have been known to do "spit takes."
Definition: An act of suddenly spitting out the liquid one is drinking as a reaction to something surprising or funny, especially as a technique in comedic acting.
When something is trending in the "Twittersphere," it will probably show up on your feed.
Definition: The notional environment in which people use the social networking service Twitter; such people considered collectively.
A "bro hug" is not significantly different from a regular hug.
Definition: a friendly embrace between two men.
"YOLO" became part of popular culture when Drake released his song "The Motto (YOLO)" in 2012.
Definition: "You only live once;" used to express the view that one should make the most of the present moment without worrying about the future (often as a rationale for impulsive or reckless behavior).
"Adorbs" is a shortened form of "adorable."
Definition: arousing great delight; cute or adorable.
Smartphones made "selfies" popular.
Definition: a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media.
"Fuhgeddaboudit" is a popular saying on "The Sopranos."
Definition: forget about it (used to indicate that a scenario is unlikely or undesirable).
While used for decades, "yas" became better known through a viral video in the 2010s where a Lady Gaga fan expressed his admiration for the star.
Definition: expressing great pleasure or excitement.
Some people might have stronger "gaydar" than others.
Definition: the supposed ability of homosexuals to recognize one another by means of very slight indications.
When it's not a phone or a tablet, it's a "phablet."
Definition: a smartphone having a screen which is intermediate in size between that of a typical smartphone and a tablet computer.
Designer Betsey Johnson is an example of a "glam-ma."
Definition: a glamorous grandmother, especially one who is relatively young or fashion-conscious.
"Worstest" is an actual word.
Definition: worst in emphatic use.
Some arguments can be settled with a "dance-off."
Definition: a competition, or a round in a competition, in which a number of dancers compete against each other until a winner is declared.
"Emojis" have changed the way we communicate.
Definition: a small digital image or icon used to express an idea, emotion, etc.
Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King are "besties."
Definition: best friends.
"Bookaholics" can never have too many books.
Definition: a habitual and prolific reader; a compulsive book buyer.
Miley Cyrus made waves when she began to "twerk" at the 2013 VMAs.
Definition: dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance.
"Vlog" is short for "video blog."
Definition: a personal website or social media account where a person regularly posts short videos.
"Glamping" puts regular camping to shame.
Definition: a form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping.
People get "hangry" when they haven't eaten.
Definition: bad-tempered or irritable as a result of hunger.
"Binge-watching" has become a national pastime.
Definition: to watch multiple episodes of (a television program) in rapid succession, typically by means of DVDs or digital streaming.
"Puggles" are, to use another new word, "adorbs."
Definition: a dog that is a cross-breed of a pug and a beagle.
"MacGyver," a popular show in the '80s, became a verb.
Definition: to construct, fix, or modify something in an improvised or inventive way, typically by making use of whatever items are at hand.
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