Cryptowords ‘Metaverse’ and ‘Altcoin’ enter Merriam-Webster Dictionary – Yeet!

New crypto words are recorded in the language’s book.

Since Merriam-Webster has validated a number of online phrases and colloquial terms that today’s modern youth coin by including them in the dictionary, language elitists will have to get pretty chill with them quickly.

Merriam-Webster recently added 370 new words to its lexicon, which, for better or worse, correspond to modern times, with terms related to the global health crisis, the war in Ukraine, the so-called “bear market”, and rapidly changing technology.

The oldest dictionary publisher in the US is making room for crypto.

“Altcoin” and “metaverse” are probably the most relevant additions for crypto fans among the new terms added.

Image: People

Crypto words that must not be left behind

The addition of the “metaverse” comes as no surprise, as Facebook has grabbed headlines for its aggressive foray into the virtual domain. “Altcoins” refers to all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin.

“Words provide a window into our ever-changing language and culture, and they are only added to the dictionary when there is clear and persistent evidence of their use,” Peter Sokolowski, editor of Merriam-Webster.

This year, among others, Merriam-Webster added the following:

dumbphone : a mobile gadget that lacks advanced features

yet: interjection, slang – used to express surprise, approval or excited enthusiasm

laggy : have a slow or delayed response

greenwashing : a marketing tactic used by companies or organizations

lewk : fashion look or style

hiss : suspicious, suspected

janky : of very poor quality

The list of new words includes additions that vividly depict how the last few years have happened for everyone.

The term “booster,” which became popular after the COVID-19 pandemic, has its own entry in Merriam-Webster’s book, as do “false positive” and “false negative” lab test results.

Other terms on the list will serve as constant reminders of the state of the economy in 2022, such as “shrinkflation,” the practice of lowering a product’s quantity or volume while offering it at the same price, and “side squeeze,” meaning that the type of work being done in addition to one’s full-time work.

On the site, Merriam-Webster has also included some delightful entries such as “pumpkin spice” and “birria.”

‘Metaverse’ and ‘Altcoin’ immortalized in lexicon

According to Google Trends, “Metaverse” is the most searched word in the following five nations: Singapore (No. 1), Turkey, China, Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates.

There are approximately 20,000 cryptocurrencies that are considered alternatives to established cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin.

In 2021, crypto-related technologies such as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) were named word of the year by Collins Dictionary.

NFTs play an important role in the metaverse because they help provide a neutral element to acquire digital assets that can be transferred between virtual environments.

“Some of these words will inspire or entertain, others may spark debate. Our job is to capture the language as it is used,” Sokolowski added.

Crypto total market cap at $1 trillion on the daily chart | Source: TradingView.com

Featured image from Wallpapers.com, chart from TradingView.com