The dictionary got an update Thursday. New words and senses will be included in the 2006 version of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, due out this fall. Here are some technology and science highlights. The year notes the first known usage of the term.
Which brings me to a pet peeve of mine... spell a word wrong long enough and eventually it becomes the correct spelling... jeesh! what's the point in learning how to spell correctly in the first place?
avian influenza (n) 1980: a highly variable mild to fulminant influenza of birds that is caused by strains of the influenza A virus which may mutate and be transmitted to other vertebrates--called also "bird flu"
biodiesel (n) 1986: a fuel that is similar to diesel fuel and is derived from usu. vegetable sources (as soybean oil)
google (vt) 2001: to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web
manga (n) 1951: a Japanese comic book or graphic novel
mouse potato (n) 1993 slang: a person who spends a great deal of time using a computer
ringtone (n) 1983: the sound made by a cell phone to signal an incoming call
spyware (n) 1994: software that is installed in a computer without the user's knowledge and transmits information about the user's computer activities over the Internet
text messaging (n) 1982: the sending of short text messages electronically esp. from one cell phone to another
wave pool (n) 1977: a large swimming pool equipped with a machine for making waves
The Oxford English Dictionary added these tech terms:
| adware, n. | Biosteel, n. |
| chip and PIN, n. | codec, n. |
| cybrarian, n. | cybrary, n. |
| digicam, n. | geocaching, n. |
| Google, v. | hacktivism, n. |
| mash-up, n. | mesohyl, n. |
| nanobot, n. | pixelate, v. |
| rewriteable, adj. | screenable, n. |
| self-storage, n. | texting, n. |
| text message, v. | uninstall, v. |
and Webster's these...
aeriform (adj): having the form of air, as gas
caloric (adj): pertaining to the matter of heat
deliquesce (v): to dissolve or soften in air
electrician (n): one versed in electricity
ignescent (adj): yielding fire or sparks
psychology (n): the doctrines of spirit or mind
sebaceous (adj): fat, pertaining to fat
vaccine (n): the cow pox, kine-pox
vaporize (v): to convert into vapor by heat
in 1806 ;)