Can’t seem to find the words to write your essay? Good news: the Oxford Dictionary has added many new words to their dictionary:
We don’t mean to humblebrag, but the August update to OxfordDictionaries.com is bare good and nailed on to interest and impress you. Throw an air punch or have a bro hug (don’t be cray and throw shade or show us the side-eye); be a baller and join the hyperconnected vocabulary fandom and read on to discover which new words from the worlds of popular culture, technology, the news, and more have been added to OxfordDictionaries.com.
Many new words–from Oxford Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, and more–originated as slang (“adorbs,” “listicle ,” “chillax”) or from new technologies (“hashtag,” “binge-watch”). There are also many insults added (“hot mess”) but what does it mean when a term you use to describe your frenemies (added in 2009!) is now an official word?
Should you write your essay on your love of bro hugs? Maybe not. But if you want to write about how your dream job is in translation of conlang (which refers to “constructed language” like Klingon), there’s now an official word for that. Words are just a tool for self-expression. While we always caution against overuse of slang, we also always encourage students to maintain their honest voices. These words just might be the tools to help you do that.
