Yeet! 370 New Words in the English Dictionary

If it seems a little sus to you that the dictionary keeps shifting in a janky way, you're not alone -- although it may be time to level up. Many of us were raised believing that the English dictionary is an immutable resource, but that's simply not true. Our language is growing and changing year by year, and Merriam-Webster just announced that they have added 370 new words to the dictionary -- including sus, janky, and level up.

Here are a few of the new additions, both slang and conventional words:

Yeet (n.): An expression of surprise, approval or excited enthusiasm.
Ex.: I get to eat the cookies you baked before we eat dinner? YEET!

Yeet (v.) To throw something with force and without regard for the thing being thrown.
Ex.: I yeeted the quiz that I failed right into the trash can.

Janky (adj.): of very poor quality, or not functioning properly.
Ex.: My janky computer likes to restart itself in the middle of Zoom meetings.
Sus (adj.): short for suspicious or suspect.
Ex.: Isn’t it a bit sus that you never see Peter Parker and Spider-Man in the same location?

Lewk (n.): a fashionable look distinctive to the wearer and noticeable and memorable to others.
Ex.: “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK” contestant Bimini Bon Boulash turned a lewk on the runway when she emerged in a Vivienne Westwood-inspired bridal corset.

Pwn (v.): to dominate and defeat. Pronounced like “own.”
Ex.: I totally pwned my opponents in an epic game of tag yesterday.

Baller (adj.): excellent, exciting or extraordinary, especially in a way that is suggestive of a lavish lifestyle.
Ex.: It was very baller of you to share your lottery winnings with us.
Hoglet (n.): a baby hedgehog.
Ex.: I need to snuggle that hoglet while its quills are not yet pointy.

Pumpkin spice (n.): A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice commonly used in pumpkin pie.
Ex.: Pumpkin spice lattes were once a harbinger of autumn, but now they appear on menus starting in late summer.

LARP (n.): short for live action roleplay, a game in which players reenact fantasy scenarios.
Ex.: I twisted my ankle during a LARP session in which I pantomimed riding into battle on a horse.

Level up (v.): Advancing or improving oneself as if you’re playing a game.
Ex.: In her song “Level Up,” Ciara implores us all to explore our full potential.

Metaverse (n.): A virtual environment in which users can access multiple virtual realities.
Ex.: In the metaverse, all I do is buy digital clothes for my avatar and talk to other users.

For a more complete list of the new words for September 2022, look here: 370 New Words.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. -- Ecclesiastes 3:1

We are called to transform, Friends -- ever-closer to the Lord, yes, and also mindful of the language we use to bring others into the hope, peace, and joy of the Gospel. How ready are you to share the Gospel with a culture that is leaning with both eagerness and trepidation into the metaverse?

Blessings on your week,

Jennie