Folks at Merriam-Webster remind that the "English language never sleeps and neither does the dictionary,” notes Grumpy Editor.
"The work of revising a dictionary is constant and it mirrors the culture’s need to make sense of the world with words," they point out.
Merriam-Webster last week adds 640 words, explaining what’s behind some old words with new meanings, such as:
- Tailwind and headwind: These words are now often used figuratively to refer to a force or influence that either helps or hinders progress.
- Peak: Metaphorically extended to mean “being at the height of popularity, use, or attention,” as in “peak television” (or maybe “peak word nerd”).
- Goldilocks: Even a fairy tale can become a metaphor, and this new colorful definition, referring to the character whose preferred porridge is neither too hot nor too cold, has inspired astronomers to use it to describe “an area of planetary orbit in which temperatures are neither too hot nor too cold to support life.”
- Snowflake: Now used to mean both “someone regarded or treated as unique or special” and “someone who is overly sensitive.”
- Purple: Extending the blending of red and blue to the metaphorical level, purple can now refer to geographical areas where voters are split between Democrats and Republicans.
Among new entertainment words:
- Buzzy: Causing or characterized by a lot of speculative or excited talk or attention (that is, generating buzz).
- Bottle episode: An inexpensively produced episode of a television series that is typically confined to one setting.
- EGOT: An entry in the dictionary seems like an appropriate award for the acronym that stands for the rare achievement of winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.
The word compilers explain that “each word follows its own path at its own pace before its use is widespread enough to be included in a dictionary."
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE…
SOURCE OF NORTH KOREA'S MERCEDES A MYSTERY. Daimler AG, the German multinational automotive corporation, says it has no idea where North Korean leader Kim Jong Un got his armored Mercedes limousines since it has no business dealings with the communist nation. Kim used Daimler-branded stretch limousines at several very high-profile summits, including his meeting last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin and earlier in summits with President Donald Trump.
VATICAN AIDS MIGRANTS IN MEXICO. Pope Francis provides assistance for food, lodging and basic necessities in donating $500,000 to help migrants in Mexico.
TRUMP PRAISES DRUG-DETECTING DOGS. President Donald Trump praises drug-detecting canines at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit, calling working canines "the greatest equipment in the world."
18 COLONOSCOPES STOLEN. Three people broke into a medical facility in Wynnewood, Pa. and fled with 18 colonoscopes. The devices, reportedly worth a total of about $450,000, are used for examining the health of patients’ colons.
CALL OUT FOR WWII CLICKERS. So-called “clickers,” used in World War II ‘s D-Day Normandy landings to determine friend or foe, are being sought to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the landings. Two clicks in response to one meant it was a friend. About 7,000 of the devices were produced.
CALIFORNIA DINERS SUBJECT TO CLIMATE CHANGE SURCHARGE. People eating at California restaurants may start to see an optional 1% surcharge added to their bill to fight climate change. The money will go to a public fund that helps farmers who use practices that reduce carbon in the atmosphere.
ECONOMY UP, YET STRESS UP. A Gallup poll finds “even as the economy roared, more Americans were stressed, angry and worried last year than they have been at most points during the past decade.” In asking about their feelings the previous day, 55% mention they had experienced stress during the day, while 45% say they felt worried a lot and 22% reveal they felt anger a lot.
SOME AMERICANS PLAN TO SKIP VACATIONS. More than one in four Americans have already decided to forgo a summer vacation this year and another 22% remain undecided, according to a Bankrate survey of almost 2,600 adults. Biggest reason? They can’t afford it.
