Welcome to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, now including “rizz,” “dad bod,” “adulting,” “dashcam” and “cancel culture.”
The 12th edition of the Merriam-Webster “Collegiate” dictionary, which will be released on Nov. 18, introduces 5,000 new words and 1,000 new phrases and idioms to its pages, the publisher announced Thursday.
The 11th edition of the dictionary was released in 2003, so cultural changes over the past two decades called for an extensive update.
“Farm-to-table,” which is food sourced locally and served directly to customers, made the cut. So did “petrichor,” a descriptor for the enjoyable scent of rain after an extended dry period. And “WFH,” which stands for work from home — a habit that stuck following stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Words related to internet behavior were also added to the publication. “Doomscroll,” which describes excessive time spent on a smartphone, and “dumbphone,” a term for a person who relies heavily on their smartphone, are also new additions.
Other new adds include:
- “Beast mode”: Taking on aggressive or intense behaviors to complete challenging tasks with impressive skill, speed or determination.
- “Side-eye”: A sidelong glance that reflects annoyance, disapproval or contempt.
- “Hard pass”: An expression used to express firm rejection or dismissal.
- “Cold brew”: A coffee made by steeping coffee grounds in cold or room temperature water.
- “Teraflop”: A unit of measurement for computing performance.
- “Ghost kitchen”: A business that prepares food exclusively for takeout and delivery.
In addition to new words, the 12th edition also introduces curated word lists, which includes “Words From the 1990s” and “Words For Things That Often Go Unnamed.” These guides will provide expanded guidance on usage and word histories.
In the 23 years since Merriam-Webster last published a fresh edition of its collegiate dictionary, the company’s online revenue has increased by 500% while continuing to sell large quantities of dictionaries, according to Merriam-Webster President Greg Barlow.
“Our website receives over a billion visits per year,” said Barlow. “People still love books. In fact, we continue to sell over a million dictionaries a year.”
He continued, “We still love books, and that’s why we’re so proud of the ‘Twelfth Edition.’ This beautiful red dictionary may not be the biggest part of our business, but in many ways it’s the heart.”