New Words Added to Merriam-Webster in April 2019

The English language is constantly changing and dictionaries need to be updated to keep up. Merriam-Webster has published an additional list of words that were added to the dictionary in April 2019.  Some words are new to the dictionary; some are new meanings for existing entries, like snowflake and purple.

It all begins, in each case, with evidence of words in use. Each word follows its own path at its own pace before its use is widespread enough to be included in a dictionary. We watch as words move from specialized contexts to more general use and we make citations for each word in order to draft our definitions. This means, in other words, that we have the receipts (in a manner of speaking).