Recent "Websterlings" Submitted to Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary
Since its debut in 2005, the interactive Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary has attracted user submissions from all over the U.S. as well as English-speaking countries across the globe. Developed to provide a forum for word lovers to share words they haven't seen in the dictionary, the Open Dictionary provides an informative and often amusing look at the latest words and phrases catching the attention of the online community.
The following is a sample of some of the most intriguing neologisms to recently come our way. To make your own submission, or to browse through the Open Dictionary alphabetically, by "most recent entries," or by category, please visit: http://www3.merriam-webster.com/opendictionary/.
LANGUAGE
confuddle (verb) : to confuse and befuddle at the same time
<I am confuddled on how this machine works.>
<I am confuddled on how this machine works.>
Submitted by: Billfrog from Tennessee
festivate (verb) : combination of celebrate and festival; to create a joyous occasion with friends; to have a good time
<After the final exam, the students decided to festivate at a local pub.>
<After the final exam, the students decided to festivate at a local pub.>
Submitted by: Isaac Argüelles
honeyism (noun) : names, affectionate phrases used to address friends and family
<She likes to use honeyisms when she's in a good mood.>
<She likes to use honeyisms when she's in a good mood.>
Submitted by: Melissa from South Carolina
macroleximorpheme (noun) : a large word, esp. one that is overly large. Derived from the three words macro (big), lexis (vocabulary), and morpheme (word).
<Pulchritudinous is a macroleximorpheme.>
<Pulchritudinous is a macroleximorpheme.>
Submitted by: Logan Predy from Canada
palabraphile (noun) : lover of words
<I am a palabraphile.>
<I am a palabraphile.>
Submitted by: Ned Murtagh from New Hampshire
radsome (adjective) : radical + awesome = radsome
<Emily, that shirt is radsome.>
<Emily, that shirt is radsome.>
Submitted by: Allison and Emily from Indiana
vocabulate (verb) 1 : to make up a word, specifically when you are not sure of the correct word 2 : To create new forms of existing words
<"That is not good strategery," the speaker vocabulated, deciding it was more important to maintain the flow of speech than to choose the correct word.>
<"That is not good strategery," the speaker vocabulated, deciding it was more important to maintain the flow of speech than to choose the correct word.>
Submitted by: Deryck from Texas
websterling (noun) : words that hope to be in Webster's dictionary someday
<The current crop of websterlings caused heated debate among the editors at Merriam-Webster.>
<The current crop of websterlings caused heated debate among the editors at Merriam-Webster.>
Submitted by: Paul Burns from Washington
wordulary (noun) : a collection of made-up words
<Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary is full of good wordulary.>
<Merriam-Webster's Open Dictionary is full of good wordulary.>
Submitted by: Justin Kaufman from Maryland
ANATOMY
bozone (noun) : the substance surrounding a stupid person that stops bright ideas from penetrating
<The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.>
<The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.>
Submitted by: Anonymous
cankle (noun) : a pejorative referring to a shapeless lower leg, where calf and ankle are indistinguishable
<He was shapeless, yet puffy, with cankles connecting his shoes to his knee-length shorts.>
<He was shapeless, yet puffy, with cankles connecting his shoes to his knee-length shorts.>
Submitted by: J Easton from Maryland
toevage (noun) : the part of the foot exposed through open-toed shoes
<My wife's new pumps showed off her newly pedicured toevage.>
<My wife's new pumps showed off her newly pedicured toevage.>
Submitted by: Brad Armstrong Hagen from Wisconsin
SPORTS
fanalyst (noun) : fan and analyst; a "Monday morning quarterback"
<The following day, fanalysts severely criticized the coach's decision to not try for a two-point conversion.>
<The following day, fanalysts severely criticized the coach's decision to not try for a two-point conversion.>
Submitted by: Ray Zelko from Ohio
snurfing (verb) : holding the bumper of a car and letting it pull you through the snow
<We were snurfing in the parking lot before school with Bob's car.>
<We were snurfing in the parking lot before school with Bob's car.>
Submitted by: Shannon from North Dakota
wog (noun) : The activity of walking and jogging alternatively for a period of time or distance as part of physical activity
<A wog in the morning is good physical activity.>
<A wog in the morning is good physical activity.>
Submitted by: Hari Menon from Austria
BUSINESS
intaxication (noun) : euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with
<His state of intaxication only lasted until his wife got the check.>
<His state of intaxication only lasted until his wife got the check.>
Submitted by: George from New York
jobstacle (noun) : anything that prevents one from doing their work
Submitted by: Meerkat from California
saler (noun) : a shopper who always looks for discounts
Submitted by: Anonymous
POPULAR CULTURE
doggage (noun) : a dog that is carried like or handled like baggage
<Paris Hilton's dog is doggage. Have you ever seen its legs touch the ground?>
<Paris Hilton's dog is doggage. Have you ever seen its legs touch the ground?>
Submitted by: Rhia Stone from New Zealand
simonella (noun) : a condition of American Idol contestants who get harassed by Simon Cowell.
<The contestant came down with simonella after being called a monkey by Simon.>
<The contestant came down with simonella after being called a monkey by Simon.>
Submitted by: Anonymous
sloganization (noun) : the excessive use of slogans; the loss of substance due to use of slogans
<The sloganization of political rhetoric has rendered statements of issue and policy meaningless.>
<The sloganization of political rhetoric has rendered statements of issue and policy meaningless.>
Submitted by: Brandon from Florida
TECHNOLOGY and INTERNET
celphony (noun) : a pretend conversation on a cell phone as a means to disguise or deflect interest
<Bob clearly mastered the art of celphony as he promptly put the phone to his ear and had an imagined chat with himself, deftly avoiding a sure conversation with an acquaintance from the party the previous night.>
<Bob clearly mastered the art of celphony as he promptly put the phone to his ear and had an imagined chat with himself, deftly avoiding a sure conversation with an acquaintance from the party the previous night.>
Submitted by: JD from Massachusetts
clicko (noun) : an error in the area to be clicked by a mouse, similar to a typo. Clicking at the wrong place/location using a mouse, esp when there are many clustered icons to click on
<I lost the card game, due to a clicko.>
<I lost the card game, due to a clicko.>
Submitted by: Sudheendran T L from India
eyecrometer (noun) : the sensory tool used to visually estimate length or distance
<She didn't have a ruler, but she trusted her eyecrometer to gauge the length of the paper.>
<She didn't have a ruler, but she trusted her eyecrometer to gauge the length of the paper.>
Submitted by: Ben from Ohio
MISCELLANEOUS
condominimum (noun) : the least expensive condo
<Superman's telephone booth is his condominimum where he keeps a spare cape.>
<Superman's telephone booth is his condominimum where he keeps a spare cape.>
Submitted by: Don Weinshank from Michigan
counterstink (noun) : an odor used to mask another odor
<The counterstink was more annoying than the odor it was intended to mask.>
<The counterstink was more annoying than the odor it was intended to mask.>
Submitted by: Zev Farkas from Israel
ignoy (verb) : to annoy by ignoring
<Stop ignoying me!>
<Stop ignoying me!>
Submitted by: Jacob (4th grader) from Virginia
