Merriam-Webster added 370 to its English dictionary this week, inspired by current events and popular usage.
The dictionary said a word is added when “it is used by many people who all agree that it means the same thing.”
“Some of these words will amuse or inspire, others may provoke debate. Our job is to capture the language as it is used,” says Peter Sokolowski, Editor at Large for Merriam-Webster. “Words offer a window into our ever-changing language and culture, and are only added to the dictionary when there is clear and sustained evidence of use.”
Words inspired by social media usage include ICYMI, FWIW, pwn, baller, janky and yeet.
New words inspired by current events include booster dose, shrinkflation, metaverse, subvariant, false negative and false positive.
Other new words you might use include sus, cootie catcher, mojo and MacGyver.
Pumpkin spice also gained an entry into the dictionary
A complete list of new words is available on the Merrian-Webster’s Dictionary website.
