From the OUPblog:
GIF verb to create a GIF file of (an image or video sequence, especially relating to an event): he GIFed the highlights of the debate
The GIF, a compressed file format for images that can be used to create simple, looping animations, turned 25 this year, but like so many other relics of the 80s, it has never been trendier. GIF celebrated a lexical milestone in 2012, gaining traction as a verb, not just a noun. The GIF has evolved from a medium for pop-cultural memes into a tool with serious applications including research and journalism, and its lexical identity is transforming to keep pace.
Other Words on the Oxford Dictionaries 2012 Shortlist
- Eurogeddon
- Higgs boson
- MOOC
- nomophobia
- Super PAC
- superstorm
- YOLO