MANILA — Merriam-Webster went "beast mode" and added to its dictionary 690 new words, including slangs, terms related to artificial intelligence, and gaming lingo.
“Signs of a healthy language include words being created, words being borrowed from other languages, and new meanings being given to existing words. Based on our most recent research, we are pleased to inform you that English is very (very!) healthy,” the dictionary said in its September update.
The update included words used in informal settings like "rizz", a slang for charisma; TFW, the abbreviation for "that feeling when"; and zhuzh or a small improvement.
Other new words included the digital world's "generative AI" or artificial intelligence that is capable of generating new content; gamers' "nerf" or reducing the effectiveness of something in a game; and pop culture’s "edge lord" or someone who makes wildly dark and exaggerated statements.
The words thirst trap, ’grammable, doomscroll, finsta, and quiet quit also made ito to the dictionary.
Read a sample of the 690 new words here.