Oxford Dictionaries Update: From ‘Janky’ to ‘Sharing Economy’ | Time
Oxford Dictionaries Online added hundreds of words and phrases to its online database Thursday, many of which reflect the technology-influenced world we live in.
This branch of the Oxford family is focused on modern usage: the language people are using now. And if the addition is any indication, we are talking a lot about tech — from ridesharing to bioprinting — not to mention using more abbreviations and acronyms as words.
Here are some highlights from the quarterly update, along with definitions:
AFAIC (abbrev.): abbreviation for ‘as far as I’m concerned.’
awk (adj.): of a situation, causing uneasy embarrassment; awkward or uncomfortable.
bioprinting (n.): the use of 3-D printing technology with materials that incorporate viable living cells, e.g., to produce tissue for reconstructive surgery.
colorblocking (n.): in fashion and design, the use of contrasting blocks or panels of solid, typically bright color.
data scientist (n.): a person employed to analyze and interpret complex digital data, such as the usage statistics of a website, especially in order to assist a business in its decisionmaking.
divey (adj.): of a bar or similar establishment, shabby or sleazy
EGOT (n.): the achievement of having won all four of the major American entertainment awards (i.e., an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony).
janky (adj.): of extremely poor or unreliable quality.
koozie (n.): an insulating sleeve used to keep a canned or bottled drink cold.
McTwist (n.): in skateboarding and snowboarding, an aerial maneuver in which the boarder spins one and a half times while holding the edge of the board with one hand.
party foul (n.): an act or instance of unpleasant or unacceptable behavior at a party or other social gathering.
patient zero (n.): used to refer to the person identified as the first carrier of a communicable disease in an outbreak of related cases.
ridesharing (v.): to participate in an arrangement in which a passenger travels in a private vehicle driven by its owner, for free or for a fee, especially as arranged by means of a website or app.
sharing economy (n.): an economic system in which assets or services are shared between private individuals, either for free or for a fee, typically by means of the Internet.
superfan (n.): a person who has an extreme or obsessive admiration for a particular person or thing.
teachable moment (n.): an event or experience that presents a good opportunity for learning something about a particular aspect of life.
unbox (v.): remove (something, especially a newly purchased product) from a box or other packaging.
vishing (v.): the fraudulent practice of making phone calls or leaving voice messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as bank details and credit-card numbers.
