The dictionary company Merriam- Webster has added 1,400 words to its online collection, and users are scrambling to find them. The update, announced on September 15, spans entries from “looksmaxxing” to “whack-a-mole” to “cuffing season.” The search term “dictionary” has climbed to become one of the top rising searches in the United States on this date, according to Google Trends, which is reporting on the update.
The 1,400 New Entries
Dating back to 1843, Merriam-Webster is the oldest dictionary publisher in America, and it constantly adds new words and definitions to its catalog of the English language. A blog post from the company explained that the 1,400 newest additions illustrate words and meanings that have shown widespread use over time, offering a window into the world today.
The new entries are now up on Merriam-Webster.com, and a selection of them will also be included in upcoming print editions of the dictionary.
What the Words Cover
A large list of new terms appears across several categories, including social media slang, food items, and common emotional states. Some of the additions are grouped below for context.
- “Looksmaxxing,” defined as “the practice of taking one or more sometimes extreme or dangerous measures intended to increase one’s physical attractiveness.”
- “Parasocial,” describing a one-sided relationship—often facilitated by the internet—with a public figure or fictional character.
- “Rickroll,” to trick someone into listening to Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
- “Cake pop,” a sugary sweet treat made from compressed cake crumbs and icing.
- “Chili crisp,” a savory, often spicy condiment made from fried onions, garlic, chili peppers and oil.
- “Superfood,” a blanket term for nutrient-rich ingredients like blueberries, salmon and broccoli.
- “Sunday scaries,” anxious feelings before starting a new week.
- “Whack-a-mole,” the act of trying to resolve a problem that keeps returning.
- “Crashout,” a mental or emotional breakdown.
- “Cuffing season,” the period when single people “begin looking for a short-term romantic partner to spend the colder months of the year with,” per Merriam-Webster.
Why People Are Searching Now
The update did not have a theme, according to Gregory Barlow, Merriam-Webster’s president, who spoke to the New York Times’ Michael Levenson. However, Barlow says the company’s wordsmiths “can see that online culture and social media increasingly generate new language.”
“Conversation on social platforms creates fertile soil in which new words crop up and spread,” he adds.
The company defines these words to serve its audience, Barlow told the Times. “Words like ‘cuffing season’ and ‘looksmaxxing’ are widely used now, and people want to know what they mean, so we’re serving our audience by defining them,” he said.
How Words Get In
Each year, Merriam-Webster usually adds around 1,000 new entries. The procedure is fairly casual, with the company’s lexicographers deciding whether they have sufficient evidence to include a term by checking three factors: frequent use, widespread use and meaningful use — enough proof that people are actually using the word in real life, not just in a few isolated instances.
The reference to Merriam-Webster defines “A word gets into a dictionary when it is used by many people who all agree that it means the same thing,” state.
The company does not lock its definitions to print. “The online dictionary has limitless space to add all the words that merit inclusion, even if some words turn out to be relatively ephemeral,” Barlow said.
What the Company Says
The firm holds a particular idea about the purpose of dictionaries, which “A dictionary isn’t an idea museum; it’s a user’s manual for communication,” states.
The update carries a warning. Certain terms may be short-lived, fading from use. The company accepts that risk, though it is a natural part of the online catalog, which has space for new words that print editions cannot include.
The words are in, and people are already searching for them — including the phrase “dictionary”, which has become one of the top rising searches in the United States today.
Source material: “From ‘Sunday Scaries’ and ‘Whack-a-Mole’ to ‘Looksmaxxing’ and ‘Cuffing Season,’ These Are the Newest Words in the Dictionary,” smithsonianmag.com.
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