A few weeks ago, several newspapers printed articles about the Oxford English Dictionary. They'd heard its publisher, Oxford University Press, had decided to discontinue the hardcover edition of its famous lexicon.
Back then, we tried to put those rumors to rest. Anna Baldwin, a spokeswoman for the publisher, said "no decision has yet been made on the format of the third edition."
It's likely to be more than a decade before the full edition is published and a decision on format will be taken at that point. Lexicographers are currently preparing the third edition of the OED, which is 28 per cent complete. No final completion date is yet confirmed.
Today, the OUPblog published a series of "new words, senses and phrases" that have been added to another Oxford University Press-published reference: the New Oxford American Dictionary.
What made the list? Some of my favorites follow.
BFF n. (pl. BFFs) informal a girl’s best friend: my BFF’s boyfriend is cheating on her.
– ORIGIN 1996: from the initial letters of best friend forever.
defriend v. another term for unfriend.
Interweb n. humorous the Internet.
bromance n. informal a close but nonsexual relationship between two men.
– ORIGIN early 21st cent.: blend of brother and romance.
You can read others here.
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