Every year the dictionaries of the world determine what terms and words need to be added to their pages (on the web and otherwise), and every year Zer and myself share our two cents.
I’ve written on the subject several times, and been critical of some of the choices (selfie…I’m talking to you), but this latest batch of additions to the Oxford Dictionaries database, the part of the Oxford family focused on current English, has some really fitting additions (Side boob, I am not talking about you. You are two words that when combined mean precisely what most of the English-speaking world would think you mean. I’m not even touching the sexist implications of including. Your definition is obvious.). However, one term in particular, picked the right week to make its dictionary debut.
The list includes questionable entries of course (Side boob, this time I am talking about you, and you ICYMI. In case you missed it, you know you’re an acronym, right?), but it also includes some tech and tech adjacent terms that could use some defining (Listicle, live-tweet , and acquihire, you can stay). Then there are the perfectly acceptable and adorable shortened/cute combinations of words, like fandom (catch up spellcheck) and adorbs (the word is the perfect description of the word itself).
But what’s the now officially defined term that’s perfectly on point for this point in time?
hot mess (n.): a person or thing that is spectacularly unsuccessful or disordered.
Now, to use it in a sentence/paragraph (along with a few other officially defined terms):
ICYMI, this week’s been a hot mess. Doncha think? I can’t help but SMH at some of the cray, cray things going on this week. It would be amazeballs if we could end the douchebaggery and use our hyperconnectedness for good instead of bad. Remember, YOLO.
WDYT?
Thank you Oxford English Dictionary. I could live without side boob, and neckbeard and bro hug are equally self-explanatory, but hot mess is the perfect term for this week. So, thank you.
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See the full list of new additions here: Oxford Dictionaries
…bi-daily smile…
