New Words

There are lots of ways to track with the fast-changing nature of culture. Film, music, apps … all reflect the essence of how we relate to one another, describe our world, and act within it.

But perhaps the most foundational medium of all is the simplest.

Words.

Which is why new words are so important to follow.

Here are some of the more informative new additions to the Oxford English Dictionary.

• beer o'clock, n.: an appropriate time of day for starting to drink beer
• wine o'clock, n.: an appropriate time of day for starting to drink wine
• snackable, adj.: (of online content) designed to be read, viewed, or otherwise engaged with briefly and easily
• awesomesauce, adj.: (US informal) extremely good; excellent
• weak sauce, n.: (US informal) something that is of a poor or disappointing standard or quality
• deradicalization, n.: the action or process of causing a person with extreme views to adopt more moderate positions on political or social issues
• Mx, n.: a title used before a person's surname or full name by those who wish to avoid specifying their gender or by those who prefer not to identify themselves as male or female
• microaggression, n.: a statement, action, or incident regarded as an instance of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination against members of a marginalized group such as a racial or ethnic minority
• social justice warrior, n.: (informal, derogatory) a person who expresses or promotes socially progressive views
• fat-shame, v.: cause (someone judged to be fat or overweight) to feel humiliated by making mocking or critical comments about their size
• blockchain, n.: a digital ledger in which transactions made in bitcoin or another cryptocurrency are recorded chronologically and publicly
• Redditor, n.: a registered user of the website Reddit
• pwnage, n.: (informal) (especially in video gaming) the action or fact of utterly defeating an opponent or rival
• spear phishing, n.: the fraudulent practice of sending emails ostensibly from a known or trusted sender in order to induce targeted individuals to reveal confidential information
• butthurt, adj.: (US informal) overly or unjustifiably offended or resentful
• fatberg, n.: a very large mass of solid waste in a sewerage system, consisting especially of congealed fat and personal hygiene products that have been flushed down toilets
• kayfabe, n.: (US informal) (in professional wrestling) the fact or convention of presenting staged performances as genuine or authentic
• manic pixie dream girl, n.: (especially in film) a type of female character depicted as vivacious and appealingly quirky, whose main purpose within the narrative is to inspire a greater appreciation for life in a male protagonist
• mic drop, n.: (informal, chiefly US) an instance of deliberately dropping or tossing aside one's microphone at the end of a performance or speech one considers to have been particularly impressive
• rage-quit, v.: (informal) angrily abandon an activity or pursuit that has become frustrating, especially the playing of a video game
• rando, n.: (informal) a person one does not know, especially one regarded as odd, suspicious, or engaging in socially inappropriate behavior

Of course, you may feel like new words such as these are NBD.

Oh, that’s another new one, too.

• NBD, n.: (abbreviation) short for no big deal

James Emery White

Sources

“Can You Use That In A Sentence? Dictionary Adds New Words,” by Laura Wagner, NPR, August 27, 2015, read online.

About the Author

James Emery White is the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church in Charlotte, NC, and the ranked adjunctive professor of theology and culture at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, which he also served as their fourth president. His latest book, The Rise of the Nones: Understanding and Reaching the Religiously Unaffiliated, is available on Amazon. To enjoy a free subscription to the Church and Culture blog, visit ChurchAndCulture.org, where you can view past blogs in our archive and read the latest church and culture news from around the world. Follow Dr. White on twitter @JamesEmeryWhite.