The Oxford English Dictionary continually adapts to living language, expanding as new expressions prove staying power. Each update rests on evidence gathered from a wide range of sources: printed books, newspapers, magazines, blogs, social posts, and transcripts from radio and television. Editors examine how a term is used in context, how often it appears, and whether it carries several senses or stays tied to a single idea. That process balances breadth with reliability, favoring usage that has proven itself over time rather than a viral moment. For readers in Canada and the United States, this approach mirrors the way people talk across North American life, from city fads to regional quirks, from professional communication to casual chat. The result is a dictionary that reads as a snapshot of current language, not a museum of yesterday’s slang. When a term yields credible occurrences in diverse sources, it earns an official entry, joining hundreds of thousands of words that describe a world in motion. The ongoing work of the dictionary makes space for new ideas, new technologies, and new social habits, while preserving the clarity and reliability readers expect from a reference work. This watchful method aligns with the 2024 update from the Oxford English Dictionary.
Among recent additions are words many readers recognize from screens, streams, and street corners. Selfie captures a self-taken photograph, usually shared online, and it sits alongside squee, an expression of unrestrained delight, and jorts, casual denim shorts worn in a variety of settings. These terms exist because people use them in real speech and in public writing, and their presence in the dictionary helps writers convey current moments with precision. The entries also reflect a shift in how fashion, technology, and humor intersect in daily life. A selfie might appear in a fashion piece or a travel journal; squee might punctuate a reaction in a blog post; jorts can appear in a review of streetwear or a photo caption. The simple but telling combination of meaning and example usage provides a reliable anchor for readers seeking to understand contemporary language.
Other entries highlight the speed of online communication. Srsly, an abbreviation of seriously, and FOMO, for fear of missing out, have become common in texts as well as headlines. The list includes derp, used to nod to a goofy moment; phablet, a portmanteau for a device that blends phone and tablet features; emoji, those tiny digital icons that convey mood and nuance; and fauxhawk, a bold haircut that made waves in fashion conversations. Even phrases like girl crush and food baby appear, capturing social and culinary phenomena discussed across magazines, blogs, and social networks. Each term carries a sense of its origin and social context, with notes that help readers separate slang from established vocabulary and understand how usage varies by audience. The trend reflects how speech travels quickly from online communities into everyday prose, changing tone, attitude, and nuance.
These updates show language moving across cultures and continents. The dictionary’s coverage now embraces slang that travels across platforms, from memes to media coverage, and into classrooms and offices. New entries come with concise definitions, usage notes, and example sentences that illustrate how a term works in different settings. When North American English encounters a term born online, editors pay attention to where and how it is used, looking for stability across sources and over time. The process does not chase novelty for novelty’s sake; it aims to capture meaningful additions that illuminate how people describe experiences, technology, and culture. That approach helps readers, educators, and researchers who want a current reference that still reads with authority. The end result is a lexicon that mirrors modern life while remaining a dependable guide for clear communication.
Scholars and language lovers can consider which coinage deserves a place among the language tools they use daily. The Oxford English Dictionary’s evolving pages invite reflection on how talk and writing change as technology, media, and social norms shift. In the end, the dictionary offers a record of living English, a resource that helps people describe what they see, feel, and share in Canada, the United States, and the wider world. The question of inclusion is not about popularity alone but about lasting presence in credible writing and spoken discourse. As new terms gain traction, tomorrow is likely to bring fresh voices into the lexicon, and readers can watch the journey with curiosity and anticipation. Which term should join the official dictionary next?