Every year, Oxford University Press adds a bunch of words to their dictionary. From OMG, FYI, and LOL, to woot and retweet, the dictionary tries to remain hip to modern technology lingo. Today, the organization has added a plethora of new words to their online dictionary.
Based on the organization's selection of words, it's clear that mobile technology is becoming more mainstream with each passing year. Words like "selfie" and "phablet" have made the list, as well as acronyms like "BYOD," all pointing to a more mobile world. There's a handful of online abbreviations as well, such as FIL and FOMO. Here's a list of new technology-related words that have been added to the online dictionary.
- bitcoin, n.: a digital currency in which transactions can be performed without the need for a central bank
- BYOD, n.: abbreviation of ‘bring your own device’: the practice of allowing the employees of an organization to use their own computers, smartphones, or other devices for work purposes
- click and collect, n.: a shopping facility whereby a customer can buy or order goods from a store’s website and collect them from a local branch
- digital detox, n.: a period of time during which a person refrains from using electronic devices such as smartphones or computers, regarded as an opportunity to reduce stress or focus on social interaction in the physical world
- emoji, n: a small digital image or icon used to express an idea or emotion in electronic communication
- FIL, n.: a person’s father-in-law (see also MIL, BIL, SIL)
- FOMO, n.: fear of missing out: anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website
- geek chic, n.: the dress, appearance, and culture associated with computing and technology enthusiasts, regarded as stylish or fashionable
- hackerspace, n.: a place in which people with an interest in computing or technology can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge
- Internet of things, n.: a proposed development of the Internet in which everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data
- LDR, n.: a long-distance relationship
- MOOC, n.: a course of study made available over the Internet without charge to a very large number of people
- phablet, n.: a smartphone having a screen which is intermediate in size between that of a typical smartphone and a tablet computer
- selfie, n. (informal): a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website
- srsly, adv. (informal): short for ‘seriously’
- TL;DR, abbrev.: ‘too long didn’t read’: used as a dismissive response to a lengthy online post, or to introduce a summary of a lengthy post
It's important to note that Oxford University Press differentiates between the Oxford English Dictionary and Oxford Dictionary Online. The former is a list of all core words of the English language throughout history, whereas the online dictionary focuses on current words, phrases, and meanings.
Source: Oxford Dictionaries | Image of dictionary courtesy of Shutterstock
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