Over 900 new words and phrases have been added to the latest edition of Oxford English Dictionary, including entries born from the Facebook and Twitter era.
Words such as “bestie” (best friend) and bookaholic (a habitual and prolific reader) that are popularly used during online social interactions have been included.
“Tick-tock” is another new addition; alluding to the characteristic sound of a clock, the term refers to a work of journalism which presents a detailed chronology of events.
Many new entries of the 2014 edition of this dictionary can trace their origins to American English, UK-based The Independent reported.
Katherine Connor Martin, the OED's head of US dictionaries, wrote a series of notes to accompany the March 2014 list and explain some bizzare entries.
“Wackadoo and wackadoodle are elaborations of wacky, wack, or wacko, used to refer to people regarded as eccentric. The silliness of the words themselves contributes to their mildly contemptuous effect.”
Updates to the Oxford English Dictionary have been taking place on a quarterly basis since 2000.
