'5G,' 'long COVID' and 'shitshow' added to Dictionary.com, an ode to 2021 so far

There are also new entries for "zaddy" and "silver fox."

Abrar Al-Heeti Technology Reporter

Abrar Al-Heeti is a technology reporter for CNET, with an interest in phones, streaming, internet trends, entertainment, pop culture and digital accessibility. She's also worked for CNET's video, culture and news teams. She graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Though Illinois is home, she now loves San Francisco -- steep inclines and all.

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Abrar Al-Heeti

July 14, 2021 5:00 a.m. PT

2 min read

A woman selects a search bar on her phone — More internet lingo has made it to Dictionary.com.
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We're only halfway through the year, but it's been a wild ride so far, with events like the US Capitol riot, an impeachment and an ongoing pandemic, to name a few. Dictionary.com on Wednesday added a list of words and definitions that reflect the crazy, changing times we're living in, like "shitshow," "long COVID" (the long-term effects of catching COVID-19) and "domestic terrorism."

Other words include "5G," the next-generation cellular technology that boasts anywhere from 10 to 100 times the speed of 4G. There's also "asshat" ("a foolish, annoying, or contemptible person," according to the Dictionary.com entry), "yeet" ("an exclamation of enthusiasm, approval, triumph, pleasure, joy, etc.") and "boondoggle" ("a wasteful and worthless project undertaken for political, corporate, or personal gain, typically a government project funded by taxpayers"). Words like "y'all," "cultural appropriation" and "DEI" (diversity, equity and inclusion) also made the list.

Lighthearted additions include "zaddy" ("an attractive man who is also stylish, charming, and self-confident"), "silver fox" ("an attractive older person with gray or silver hair, especially a man") and "snack" ("a sexy and physically attractive person; hottie"). Feel free to use on your dating profiles as you please, now with the official backing of a dictionary.

Dictionary.com regularly updates its entries to reflect changing times and ever-evolving internet lingo. In previous years, it's added words like "shitpost" and "thirst trap" to its site. Merriam-Webster has also made sure to stay on top of entries like "cryptocurrency," "blockchain" and "initial coin offering" over the years, as well as "internet of things," "troll" and "ransomware."