Dictionary.com's Largest Update (Re)defines Thousands Of Words, Focusing On Identity

Anyone grasping for the right word or phrase to describe life in 2020 now has a larger lexicon to work with.

Dictionary.com has updated thousands of entries and added hundreds of words in its largest release to date, a reflection of the ways in which society and language have evolved even in just the past few months.

The digital dictionary announced earlier this week that it updated more than 15,000 entries and added 650 brand new terms. Many of the revisions deal with language related to identity and topics like race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality and health and wellness.

"The work of a dictionary is more than just adding new words. It's an ongoing effort to ensure that how we define words reflects changes in language — and life," said John Kelly, senior editor at Dictionary.com. "Our revisions are putting people, in all their rich humanity, first, and we're extremely proud of that."

The new additions range from social media slang like "GOAT" and "janky" to cultural touchstones like "MAGA" and "MeToo."