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Merriam-Webster adds ‘umami,’ ‘ghost pepper,’ ‘go-cup’ and more to dictionary

The English language never stops expanding, and neither does the dictionary. This past week, the editors at Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary added more than 600 new words, among them, a handful of food-related terms that are sure to come up in your food-loving life. In order for new words to make the cut, editors must find that a word is in frequent, widespread and meaningful use — all three of these factors must be in play. Several new words don’t seem new at all. Words you’ve been using for years, like “ghost pepper,” “java,” and “chai latte,” will have you wondering how they’re not already in official status. But that goes to show you that widespread usage is extremely important. “Umami” is another word — as in, one of the five tastes that humans register, along with salty, sweet, spicy and sour — that was elevated to official word status. The word…

‘Hangry’ now officially a word in the Oxford English Dictionary

Because the English language is ever evolving, 1,100 new words were just added to the Oxford English Dictionary as part of its quarterly update. This means that ‘hangry’ is here to stay. Other official entries will now include ‘mansplaining,’ ‘snowflake’ and ‘me time.’ Qualifying for inclusion in the Western world’s most famous dictionary isn’t easy. As the most complete record of the English language ever assembled, many people weigh in on the process before a new word reaches dictionary status. The OED requires several independent examples of the word being used. Then dictionary researchers consult experts to decide if the the word or phrase should be added to the more than 829,000 words already in existence. In the past, words like OMG and YOLO have raised eyebrows, but most words this round could hardly be argued. Here are a few you’re likely already using: ‘Hangry’: Though its become a favorite in recent…