New Words

New Words

On Thursday, the Oxford English Dictionary added hundreds of new words to the “definitive record of the English language.” Oxford is slower than others to accept new terms, particularly phrases originating online, but once they make it into the OED, they are here to stay.
Here are some of the best:

• OMG: Expressing astonishment, excitement, embarrassment, etc.
• LOL: Originally and chiefly in the language of electronic communications: ‘ha ha!’; used to draw attention to a joke or humorous statement, or to express amusement.
• tinfoil hat: A hat made from tinfoil. With allusion to the belief that such a hat protects the wearer from mind control or surveillance (esp. by extraterrestrials or the government).
• couch surfing: The action or practice of sleeping overnight on a couch (or in similar makeshift accommodations) as a houseguest, esp. in a series of homes (often as a substitute for permanent housing).
• muffin top: A roll of flesh which hangs visibly over a person’s (esp. a woman’s) tight-fitting waistband.

I urge everyone to start using these terms in their essays.
Sources: http://thesheaf.com

New Words