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Expand your vocabulary



The Oxford English Dictionary recently released a new edition, with an estimated 2,000 new words. Many of the additions reflect the influence of new technologies and social networking sites. Among the new words are:


Tweetup: A combination of “tweet” and “meet up,” the term refers to meetings arranged via Twitter.


De-friend: The term for removing a friend from a Facebook friend list.


Chillax: A combination of the terms “chill” and “relax,” both of which are intended to calm the listener.


Vuvuzela: The horn instrument that charmed—and irritated—the world during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.


Bromance: A term that describes a close friendship between two friends, derived from “brother” and “romance.”


Buzzkill: A person who does or says something to deflate spirits and reduce fun.


Frenemy: A combination of “friend” and “enemy,” the “frenemy” is a term that implies friendship between rivals or people who dislike one another.


Interweb: The Internet.


Wardrobe Malfunction: The official term for an article of clothing slipping to reveal an inappropriate body part. Most commonly used in reference to the Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake Superbowl incident of 2004.


Among the other words recently added to the dictionary are cheeseball, netbook, and paywall.

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