October 2021 Update: Merriam-Webster Adds 455 New Words to Dictionary; Additions Include: Air Fryer, Dad Bod, Deplatform, and FTW

From Merriam-Webster:

Just as the language never stops evolving, the dictionary never stops expanding. New terms and new uses for existing terms are the constant in a living language, and our latest list brings together both new and likely familiar words that have shown extensive and established use.

A Few of the New Entries Include:

digital nomad : someone who performs their occupation entirely over the Internet while traveling; especially : such a person who has no permanent fixed home address.

super-spreader : an event or location at which a significant number of people contract the same communicable disease — often used before another noun (as in a “super-spreader event”). The term super-spreader originally referred to a highly contagious person capable of passing on a disease to many others, and now can also refer to a single place or occasion where many others are infected.

copypasta : data (such as a block of text) that has been copied and spread widely online. Copypasta can be a lighthearted meme or it can have a more serious intent, with a political or cultural message.

whataboutism : the act or practice of responding to an accusation of wrongdoing by claiming that an offense committed by another is similar or worse also : the response itself. The synonymous term whataboutery is more common in British English.

fluffernutter : a sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow crème between two slices of white sandwich bread.

fourth trimester : the three month period immediately following giving birth in which the mother typically recovers from childbirth and adjusts to caring for her infant; especially : the first three months of an infant’s life.

otaku : a person having an intense or obsessive interest especially in the fields of anime and manga —often used before another noun.

You’ll Find Many More New Entries in the Complete Blog Post

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