Words are the raw materials of the writer’s trade.
Fortunately, there are lots of words out there—more than most of us can use or even know in our lifetimes. Some linguists say the English vocabulary contains roughly a million words. Others (the show-offs) up that by a quarter million or so. And yet each year, more words are coined and become part of the common English lexicon. In 2022, Merriam Webster added 370 new words to their English dictionary.
Here are my top ten favorites:
1. Dumbphone
(noun):
a cell phone that doesn’t include advanced software like email, a camera, or an
internet browser. I think we need a related word: dumbphoneuser.
2. Greenwash
(verb):
to make a product appear more environmentally friendly than it actually is for
the purpose of misleading consumers. New word, familiar concept.
3. Terraform
(verb):
to transform a heavenly body (plant, moon) into an environment capable of
supporting human life. Something to try on earth one day.
4. Yeet
(interjection):
an expression of surprise, especially of approval and enthusiasm. Writers need
more words like this so we can avoid exclamation points.
5. Janky
(adjective):
of poor quality; not functioning properly; a combination of “junky” and “faulty.”
Useful for lowering word count.
6. Adorkable
(adjective):
socially awkward or nerdy but in an endearing way. Well, thank you.
7. FWIW
and ICYMI (acronyms): “For what it’s worth” and “In case you
missed it” respectively. A way for the younger generation to conceal things
from us.
8. LARP
(noun):
A live-action role-playing game acted out by players in real time; typically a
fantasy adventure. Related words include LARPER and LARPING. Come
on now—isn’t this just Cops & Robbers?
9. Altcoin
(noun):
various cryptocurrencies regarded as alternatives to established
cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin. Wait, wait—has something happened to
actual money?
10. Finally,
saving the best for last, Hoglet (noun): a baby hedgehog. How adorable
is that?
So, readers and writers, what new words are you using these days? We want to know. There’s always room for more.
I have a son-in-law who has been larping for nearly two decades. It's more like dungeons and dragons than cops and robbers.
ReplyDeleteMy overriding question is when will M-W include emojis? When they do (and they should, don't you think?) we'll have circled back to the original writing before the invention of letters.
Oh, I love hoglet! Now that I've seen the picture, I really want one. Huggy cute.
ReplyDeleteI confess, some of these are new to me as words, but the concepts – priceless!
Fun post, Connie! Here's my contribution: Bookalanche: (noun) the catastrophe that occurs when one places one more book, and then just one more, on the pile to be read and they all topple.
ReplyDeleteI held a hedgehog once, but those hoglets are so cute! I love all the positive words; my kids let me know about happy ones like "yeet," "yas," and "legendary."
ReplyDelete