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Last week, Merriam-Webster added 850 new words to its online dictionary. As a former journalist and self-proclaimed word nerd, I always look forward to this annual occurrence.
2018’s terms include harissa, subtweet, cryptocurrency, glamping, mansplain and — my favorite — dumpster fire. According to Merriam-Webster, the words represent a “cross-section of our linguistic culture.”
“If a word is frequently used enough by some people, it has to be placed into a reference for all people,” said Editor-at-Large Peter Sokolowski.
Of course, there are always controversial additions. Let’s just hope it never turns into a dumpster fire.
– Rachel Strassel, The New Orleans 100