Webster

Webster is releasing a new edition in the fall and almost 100 new words are being added to it.

Here are some of them:

mouse potato (n) 1993: slang: a person who spends a great deal of time using a computer

ringtone (n) 1983: the sound made by a cell phone to signal an incoming call

spyware (n) 1994: software that is installed in a computer without the user's knowledge and transmits information about the user’s computer activities over the Internet

avian influenza (n) 1980: a highly variable mild to fulminant influenza of birds that is caused by strains of the influenza A virus which may mutate and be transmitted to other vertebrates -- called also bird flu

biodiesel (n) 1986: a fuel that is similar to diesel fuel and is derived from usu. vegetable sources (as soybean oil)

gastric bypass (n) 1972: a surgical bypass operation that involves reducing the size of the stomach and reconnecting the smaller stomach to bypass the first portion of the small intestine so as to restrict food intake and reduce caloric absorption in cases of severe obesity

soul patch (n) 1991: a small growth of beard under a man’s lower lip

supersize (vt) 1994: to increase considerably the size, amount, or extent of

labelmate (n) 1981: a singer or musician who records for the same company as another

wave pool (n) 1977: a large swimming pool equipped with a machine for making waves

drama queen (n) 1979: a person given to often excessively emotional performances or reactions

unibrow (n) 1988: a single continuous brow resulting from the growing together of eyebrows

manga (n) 1951: a Japanese comic book or graphic novel

qigong (n) 1974: an ancient Chinese healing art involving meditation, controlled breathing, and movement exercises

agritourism (n) 1979: the practice of touring agricultural areas to see farms and often to participate in farm activities

big-box (adj) 1990: of, relating to, or being a large chain store having a boxlike structure

aquascape (n) 1954: 1: a scenic view of a body of water 2: an area having a natural or constructed aquatic feature (as a pond or fountain)

coqui(n) 1903: a small chiefly nocturnal aboreal frog (Eleutherodactylus coqui) native to Puerto Rico that has a high-pitched call and has been introduced into Hawaii and southern Florida

polyamory (n) 1994: the state or practice of having more than one open romantic relationship at a time

sandwich generation (n) 1987: a generation of people who are caring for their aging parents while supporting their own children

bling-bling also bling (n) 1999: flashing jewelry worn esp. as an indication of wealth; broadly: expensive and ostentatious possessions

bodyboard (n) 1982: a short surfboard on which the rider lies prone

degenderize (vt) 1987: to eliminate any reference to a specific gender in (as a word, text, or act)

dreamscape (n) 1948: a dreamlike usu. surrealistic scene; also: a painting of a dreamscape empty suit (n) 1950: an ineffectual executive

google (vt) 2001: to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web

himbo (n) 1988: an attractive but vacuous man

text messaging (n) 1982: the sending of short text messages electronically esp. from one cell phone to another

How many of these are in your vocabulary?