 "Rizz, thirst trap, simp: Merriam-Webster adds 690 new words to dictionary")
The Merriam-Webster dictionary has recently added over 690 new words to the official vocabulary of the English language, many of which originate from TikTok.
Social media strongly influences the new additions to the dictionary, whether in print or digital form. These include 'grammable,' meaning "suitable to be posted on Instagram"; 'finsta,' defined as a "secret or incognito account on the Instagram photo-sharing service"; and 'thirst trap,' a term used to describe "desperate attempts to seek attention."
Also officially added to the dictionary are words like 'doggo' (slang for dog), 'jorts' (shorts made from denim), 'mid' (a synonym for 'meh'), 'ngl' (the official abbreviation for 'not going to lie'), and 'bussin" (indicating something that is extremely good).
Of course, there are also numerous new academic terms in the dictionary, especially those related to emerging technology and artificial intelligence. Individuals from older generations who are trying to understand terms such as 'rizz,' 'zhuzh,' or 'smishing' now have an official reference in the 2023 version of American English.
"We are very excited by this new batch of words," stated Peter Sokolowski, Editor at Large at Merriam-Webster.
"We hope that people find as much insight and satisfaction in reading these words as we have had in defining them," added Sokolowski.
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The dictionary publisher also released an infographic to explain the process of how words are added to the official lexicon. Essentially, if a word is important enough to the English language, used by a wide audience, and consistently incorporated into both speech and writing over a period of time, it stands a chance of becoming official.
In 2022, Merriam-Webster included words such as 'cringe,' 'baller,' 'lewk,' 'oat milk,' 'omakase,' and several other terms that remain highly relevant in today's culture.