Merriam-Webster is continuing to update its online platforms to best represent the English language, adding 200 new words and phrases to its database.
Several popular and often-used political phrases are leading the list of new additions to the online dictionary’s database.
Among the new words to be added this year include “MAGA,” defined by the online dictionary as “a political movement calling for strict limits on immigration and a return to policies and practices in place before globalization.”
“Far left” is also being added and is defined as “the group of people whose political views are the most liberal.” More political terms being added include “far right,” “late capitalism,” and “classical liberalism.”
Other additions are more commonly used slang phrases, like “For You page, or FYP,” which is defined as “a social media feed that contains personalized content based on the user's interests.”
“Touch grass” was also added and means, “to participate in normal activities in the real world, especially as opposed to online experiences and interactions.”
When it comes to how Merriam-Webster decides to add new words and phrases to its database, Peter Sokolowski, an editor for the dictionary, says several factors are at play.
“Our lexicographers monitor a huge range of sources to select which words and definitions to add,” Sokolowski said. “From academic journals to social media, these give us a very thorough view of the English language.”
Merriam-Webster President Gregory Barlow also shared a statement on the new additions, praising the additions as the growth of language.
“The one constant of a vibrant living language is change,” Barlow said.