The Ever-Evolving English Lexicon: Why New Words Matter
English is not a fossil—it’s a rainbow-infused, meme-powered, emoji-bedecked parade that marches energetically into the future, picking up stray words, slang, and cultural trends like confetti along the way. Each year, hundreds (sometimes thousands!) of new words shimmy their way into major dictionaries like Merriam-Webster, Oxford English Dictionary, Collins, Cambridge, and Dictionary.com. These additions don’t just reflect fads or fleeting trends—they help document our shifting culture, our technological innovations, and even our values.
But how do new words actually make the leap from tweets and podcasts to official dictionary entries? Who decides which get the royal treatment? And what impact do these choices have on the way we communicate, connect, and understand the world?
If you’ve ever wondered whether you could help create the next “selfie,” what makes a silly meme-word legitimate, or how the language of digital natives shapes formal English, buckle up: this article is your backstage pass to the exciting, ever-updating world of dictionary word selection!
Lexicography 101: The Art and Science of Recording Our Words
Before we dive into the trenches of word hunting, let’s get our terms straight. The people who stand watch over the gates of the dictionary are called lexicographers. Think of them as a curious blend of linguist, librarian, detective, and pop culture aficionado. Their mission? To keep dictionaries accurate, up to date, and useful for readers of all backgrounds.
Lexicography itself is both an art and a science, involving rigorous processes for tracking, defining, and updating the vocabulary of a language. Lexicographers work with vast corpora (pl: corpus), which are huge databases of real-world texts—from novels and newspapers to tweets and TikTok transcripts—searching for evidence of new vocabulary and shifts in meaning.
The digital age has turbocharged this process, supplying terabytes of raw linguistic data and enabling much faster updates. Today’s lexicographers must be agile, tech savvy, and open to the ever-speeding churn of linguistic innovation.
From Trend to Tradition: How a Word Gets Into the Dictionary
If you think a panel of stuffy scholars holds candlelit meetings to debate words over scones, think again. The path from new coinage to “official” status is surprisingly democratic, thoroughly data-driven, and sometimes a little quirky.
Here’s a snapshot of the process as outlined by leading dictionaries like Merriam-Webster and Oxford:
- Stage 1: Spotting New Words
Lexicographers are on high alert for new words, new meanings, or evolving usages. Their hunting grounds are wide: from academic journals and bestselling novels to viral social posts and TV transcripts. For example, Merriam-Webster’s editors read widely every day, looking for “interesting” words and usages. - Stage 2: Recording Citations
When a candidate word is spotted, it’s not just plopped directly into the dictionary. Each instance is carefully collected with details on its source, context, and meaning. These examples, called “citations,” are collected into massive, searchable databases. Merriam-Webster currently holds over 17 million such citations. - Stage 3: Assessing Usage
The next hurdle is frequency and breadth. A word needs to be used often, by many different people, across varied contexts (not just one movie or one Twitter trend). It’s not enough for your quirky nephew to invent a word—unless it genuinely catches on, it won’t make the cut. - Stage 4: Deliberate Definition
Lexicographers analyze the amassed citations to deduce what the word actually means, often adapting definitions as meanings evolve (just think of how “mouse” or “cookie” changed in the digital era). - Stage 5: Internal Review
A draft definition is reviewed by editorial colleagues. At major dictionaries, inclusion may require additional vetting by senior editors, but typically not by grand committees or panels. - Stage 6: Dictionary Update
The word and its new definition appear in digital updates or in the next print edition—ready for curious minds or word nerds everywhere to look up.
Criteria for Inclusion
A word has to demonstrate:
- Widespread Use: Used by many people and not limited to a niche group or one geography.
- Sustained Use: The word must stick around beyond a fleeting trend.
- Meaningful Use: It should have a clear meaning, not just exist as a joke, stunt, or gimmick.
Some iconic “words” never make it—because no one uses them except to joke about their “length” or obscurity (“floccinaucinihilipilification,” anyone?).
And as Merriam-Webster likes to put it: “A dictionary isn’t an idea museum; it’s a user’s manual for communication.”
Learn more about How Words Get Into the Dictionary (Merriam-Webster).
The Rivalry and Rituals: Merriam-Webster vs. Oxford vs. Collins (and Friends)
Each major dictionary follows a bespoke process, shaped by its history, audience, and resources.
Merriam-Webster
- Method: Editors read extensively, collect citations, and monitor both print and digital texts. The process is iterative and supported by a vast citation vault.
- Timeline: Merriam-Webster tends to be agile, updating its online edition multiple times per year, with large updates to its flagship Collegiate Dictionary every decade or two.
- Recent Stats: In 2025, Merriam-Webster’s 12th Collegiate Edition added over 5,000 new words (plus 1,000 new phrases)—its biggest update in twenty years.
Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
- Method: The OED maintains the world’s most expansive historical record of English, tracing 600,000 words and 3.5 million quotations over 1,000+ years. It employs “OED readers” and vast electronic corpora—databases built from entire books, articles, websites, and user submissions—to spot new words or changing senses.
- Timeline: Unlike Merriam-Webster, the OED updates quarterly, rolling out batches of several hundred to a thousand new words and revisions.
- Cultural Lean: The OED pays special attention to UK, Commonwealth, and global English varieties, and often waits years to ensure a word stands the test of time—peasants, portmanteaux, and all.
Collins Dictionary and Others
- Process: Collins invites the public to suggest new words via its website, but the team carefully tracks actual evidence of usage before acceptance.
- Update Speed: Thanks to real-time digital tracking and user tips, Collins—and newcomer dictionaries like Cambridge and Dictionary.com—can add entries at a dizzying pace.
Want a peek at some of the latest suggestions or additions? Check out Collins Dictionary’s Latest Word Suggestions.
Crowd-Sourcing Meets Corpus Linguistics
Some dictionaries (like Urban Dictionary) essentially crowdsource language, adding user-submitted words with minimal vetting. But for serious dictionaries, evidence still matters: casual submissions are “monitored for usage evidence,” and only the catchiest, most useful words make the leap to official entries.
The Digital Revolution: How Technology Has Transformed Lexicography
The 21st century has supercharged lexicography:
- Real-Time Tracking: With corpora like the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and Leipzig Corpora Collection, dictionaries can quickly capture new phenomena as they emerge.
- A.I. in Action: Modern lexicographers increasingly leverage artificial intelligence to analyze vast datasets, cluster similar word usages, and even draft possible definitions.
- Social Media: Twitter, TikTok, and their ilk are both incubators and accelerators for new language. The sudden virality of slang or niche words can drive usage figures high enough for lexicographical attention.
Behind the Scenes with the Lexicographers
According to interviews and editorials, today’s lexicographers are die-hard language lovers with low tolerance for snobbery and high stamina for reading everything—from rap lyrics to Reddit threads.
Hear the upbeat wisdom of Erin McKean—a dictionary editor herself—who actively encourages people to invent new words to suit their lives (TED Talk).
New (and Not-So-New) Additions: Examples from 2024-2025
Let’s put this process into context with some standout examples from the past year or two. It’s a snapshot of a language—and a culture—moving at internet speed.
Recent Merriam-Webster Additions (2024-2025)
- rizz: Charm or romantic appeal (from “charisma,” viralized by Gen Z).
- dad bod: A male physique considered slightly overweight or less toned, but still attractive.
- doomscroll: The act of continuously ingesting bad news online.
- dumbphone: A cell phone without “smart” features, newly trendy among digital detoxers.
- ghost kitchen: A restaurant with no physical dining area, operating as a delivery-only entity—an outgrowth of the pandemic era.
- WFH: Short for “work from home,” which became global shorthand during COVID-19.
- beast mode: Performing with extreme effort or intensity.
- side-eye: A look expressing scorn or disapproval.
- cold brew: Coffee steeped with cold water, now so mainstream it deserves its entry.
See Merriam-Webster’s latest word updates here.
Recent Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Additions (2024-2025)
- chonky: Affectionate term for an adorably overweight animal.
- bandwagon: Now also a verb, as in joining a group trend.
- catwalker: A person who works or traverses a narrow platform.
- fog of war: Originally military confusion, now also used metaphorically.
- paint bombing: Protest act of throwing paint bombs.
- gatekeep: Deciding who can join a group or trend.
- side hustle: A secondary job for extra income—a manifestation of the gig economy.
- shockvertising: Ad campaigns that rely on shocking content to get attention.
See more at OED’s “Recent Updates.”
Cambridge & Dictionary.com Additions
- skibidi: Viral internet exclamation, fueled by memes and Gen Alpha cultural moments.
- delulu: Playful slang for “delusional”—mainstreamed by politicians and influencers.
- tradwife: A woman who identifies with “traditional” gender roles, prominent in social media discussions.
- broligarchy: A group of powerful, wealthy men wielding outsized societal influence.
- coffee badging: Showing up at work briefly before returning home to work remotely.
- furoshiki: Japanese wrapping cloth, reflecting cultural crossovers.
[Explore the full list at Cambridge and Dictionary.com.]
Here’s a sample table of 2025’s hottest additions across major dictionaries:
| Word | Dictionary(ies) | Meaning | Source/Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| rizz | MW, CD | Charm/charisma esp. in romance | Gen Z slang, social media |
| doomscroll | MW, OED | Compulsive scrolling through bad news | COVID-19, digital culture |
| delulu | CD, OED, MW | Playfully “delusional” | K-pop fandom, then mainstreamed |
| skibidi | CD | Nonspecific interjection, meme culture | Gen Alpha, viral videos |
| tradwife | CD | Woman embracing traditional domestic roles | Social media, lifestyle influencers |
| ghost kitchen | MW, OED | Delivery-only restaurant | Post-pandemic food delivery boom |
| coffee badging | D.com | Attending work briefly before leaving to WFH | Hybrid work culture |
| broligarchy | CD | Group of powerful “bros,” esp. in tech/business | Political/business journalism |
| side hustle | OED, MW | A second job/income stream | Gig economy, social commentary |
| chonky | OED | Affectionate term for an overweight pet | Social media meme |
Why Words Get In: The Cultural & Linguistic Significance of Inclusion
The words that make it into our dictionaries are more than mere definitions—they’re milestones in social evolution.
Reflecting Culture, Technology, and Social Change
- Pandemic Vocabulary: Terms like “WFH,” “doomscroll,” and “ghost kitchen” were unheard of a decade ago but now define our daily experience.
- Identity and Social Movements: Words such as “nepo baby” (a celebrity leveraging family connections) or “cancel culture” (public group condemnation) encode society-wide conversations about privilege, justice, and belonging.
- Internet Slang: “Rizz,” “delulu,” “touch grass,” and “skibidi” exemplify how digital banter leapfrogs into mainstream language. Sometimes, all it takes is a viral moment for a fringe term to land on everyone’s tongue.
Documenting Semantic Shifts
Beyond adding new words, dictionaries regularly update the meanings and usages of existing ones—a process called semantic change. “Mouse,” “cloud,” “cookie,” and “catfish” all had well-established meanings before the internet exploded their definitions.
Including Diversity and Loanwords
Modern lexicography isn’t just about tracking English evolution—it’s about embracing multicultural voices. Words like “fika” (Swedish coffee break), “jollof rice” (West African cuisine), or “furoshiki” (Japanese wrapping cloth) reflect our increasingly cross-cultural world.
The Power and Problems of New Words
While new words can clarify, reflect, and even empower, they sometimes pose challenges:
- Ambiguity: Some neologisms are niche or context-dependent, making them tough for outsiders to understand.
- Ephemeral Trends: Not every addition sticks; “flash in the pan” words may vanish from usage (and from future dictionaries).
- Cultural Sensitivity: As English borrows globally, lexical “misappropriation” can happen when meanings are misunderstood or oversimplified.
Who Decides? The Human Touch—and Its Limits
While the process is heavily evidence-based, the role of the lexicographer—the human filter in all this—remains crucial.
- Judgment and Nuance: Deciding which usages are “meaningful” or “mainstream enough” isn’t mere math—it requires linguistic intuition, cultural awareness, and even a sense of humor.
- Editing for Bias and Diversity: Modern dictionary teams strive (and sometimes struggle) to document all English, not just the language of the dominant cultural group.
- Transparency and Engagement: Many dictionaries, like Collins, now openly publish statistics and invite public input to diversify the words they track.
Want to learn more about a lexicographer’s day? Check out RoleCatcher’s Interview Guide: Lexicographer.
From “Selfie” to “Delulu”: Case Studies in New Word Success
Let’s trace the journey for some now-canonical dictionary neologisms:
- Selfie: First recorded in 2002 in Australia, “selfie” exploded with smartphones and social media. By 2013, Oxford Dictionaries picked it as Word of the Year, and its swift global adoption cemented its place in every major dictionary.
- Hashtag: A technical symbol for pound or number has become the lead character of the social media era. “Hashtag” describes both the symbol (#) and the culture of tagging, trending, and meme-making.
- Ghost kitchen: Born of a pandemic necessity, the phrase was in the dictionary within a couple of years.
- Rizz/Delulu/Skibidi: All three rode the viral roller coaster, powered by TikTok, YouTube, and cultural cross-pollination. When political figures and celebrities use them, dictionaries take notice.
Explore Reader’s Digest’s year-by-year “Words of the Year” for a walk down linguistic memory lane.
Controversies, Criticism, and the Fun Side of Lexicography
Anyone who thinks dictionaries are boring hasn’t spent time reading up on lexicographical scandals.
- Fake Words: Sometimes, editorial goofs (like “dord” in Webster’s 1934) slip through. In rare cases, “ghost words” get five years of dictionary fame before vanishing.
- Exclusions and Omissions: When a real word (like “bondmaid”) was left out of the first OED, it took nearly fifty years to correct the oversight.
- Debates on “Bad” Words and Slang: Critics have long accused dictionaries of “polluting” English with slang and informal language, but lexicographers staunchly maintain that usage determines legitimacy, not pedigree (sorry, grammar grumps).
- Crowdsourcing Gone Wild: Platforms like Urban Dictionary democratize word creation but illustrate the blurry line between joke, slang, and real vocabulary.
The Future of Dictionaries: What’s Next for English?
AI, Automation, and Lexical Change
Expect artificial intelligence to play an outsized role in flagging new usages, drafting dictionary entries, and pushing updates at record speed. Some see this as the “end of lexicography,” but most professionals argue there’ll always be a place for human judgment in capturing nuance and cultural shifts.
The Pace of Change
Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of words are added annually across leading dictionaries. For instance, Merriam-Webster’s 2025 update added over 5,000 new words, and Cambridge added 6,212 in a single year—the largest jump in its history. The pace is only accelerating.
Public Participation
Increasingly, dictionaries engage with the public directly—soliciting word suggestions, sharing word histories on social media, and opening up their inner processes to demystify how language gets recorded.
Inclusion and Multiplicity
Expect more robust recognition of global Englishes, dialects, minority languages, and non-Western cultural phenomena—making dictionaries more representative of the modern world.
Want to Be a Word Maker? Tips for Getting Your Coinage Picked Up
Inspired to create your own “YOLO” or “skibidi”? Here’s what dictionary editors recommend:
- Use it, don’t just submit it: Lexicographers say, “Don’t ask us to add a word—get people to use it!”
- Make it useful: Words that name real, previously unnamed things or describe emerging phenomena have the best shot at longevity.
- Longevity matters: A word must survive more than a flash-in-the-pan meme.
- Cross borders: If your word makes it from TikTok to news articles to IRL (in real life!) conversation, editors will notice.
Listen to lexicographer Erin McKean’s energetic TED talk and get inspired.
Conclusion: A Living Language, a Living Record
The journey from meme to mainstream is shorter than ever, and the gates of the dictionary have never been so wide open: every reader, writer, and internet scroller is now a potential co-creator of tomorrow’s lexicon. From “ghost kitchen” to “delulu,” from clever portmanteaux to recaptured historical terms, dictionaries document not just language, but life itself—a running record of our culture, tech, humor, and humanity.
In a world racing forward, the best dictionaries aren’t dusty museums, but living manuals and vibrant mirrors—catching, tagging, and elegantly defining our ever-shifting realities. So go ahead—coin a word, bend a meaning, play with language. You might just help shape the English of the future.
Ready to learn more? Check out these links for further reading:
- How Does a Word Get Into the Dictionary? (Merriam-Webster)
- Oxford English Dictionary Quarterly Updates
- Latest New Word Suggestions (Collins Dictionary)
- 2025’s Biggest Word Additions (Deseret News)
- Dictionary.com’s Newest Words
- Cambridge Dictionary: How Social Media Is Changing English
- TED Talk: Go ahead, make up new words! (Erin McKean)
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