Business and Economics
bubble noun . . . . 5 : a state of booming economic activity (as in a stock market) that often ends in a sudden collapse
dead-cat bounce noun [from the facetious notion that even a dead cat would bounce slightly if dropped from a sufficient height] (1985) : a brief and insignificant recovery (as of stock prices) after a steep decline
golden handcuffs noun plural (1976) : special benefits offered to an employee as an inducement to continue service
headhunt . . . . transitive verb (1969) : to recruit (personnel and especially executives) for top-level jobs <was headhunted by three different firms>
intransitive verb : to recruit personnel for top-level jobs |
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Electronic Technology
avatar
noun . . . . 4 : an electronic image that represents and is manipulated by a computer user (as in a computer game or an online shopping site)
convergence . . . . noun . . . . 4 : the merging of distinct technologies, industries, or devices into a unified whole
dot-commer . . . . noun (1997) : a person who owns or works for a dot-com
killer app noun (1988) : a computer application of such great value or popularity that it assures the success of the technology with which it is associated; broadly : a feature or component that in itself makes something worth having
lurk . . . . intransitive verb . . . . 3 : to read messages on an Internet discussion forum (as a newsgroup or a chat room) without contributing information (as addresses, schedules, and notes) |
Food and Drink
anandamide . . . . noun [Sanskrit ānanda joy, bliss + English amide] (1992) : a derivative of arachidonic acid that occurs naturally in the brain and in some foods (as chocolate) and that binds to the same brain receptors as the cannabinoids (as THC)
barista . . . . noun [Italian, person working behind a bar, from bar bar (from English) + -ista 1-ist] (1982) : a person who makes and serves coffee (as espresso) to the public
Frankenfood . . . . noun [Franken- (as in Frankenstein) + food] (1992) : genetically engineered food
longneck . . . . noun (1978) : beer served in a bottle that has a long neck
wheatgrass . . . . noun (1668) : any of a genus (Agropyron) of perennial grasses including some which are important pasture, hay, or turf grasses [NB: dropped from C8 and added for C11] |
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Foreign Borrowings
agita . . . . noun [South Italian dialect pronunciation of Italian acido, literally, heartburn, acid, from Latin acidus] (1982) : a feeling of agitation or anxiety
bludge . . . . verb . . . . [back-formation from British argot bludger pimp, probably contraction of bludgeoner one wielding a bludgeon, from bludgeon] (ca. 1919) intransitive verb 1 chiefly Australian & New Zealand : to avoid work or responsibility
2 chiefly Australian & New Zealand : sponge 2
transitive verb, chiefly Australian & New Zealand : sponge 3
bubkes also bupkes or bupkus . . . . noun plural but singular in construction [Yiddish (probably short for kozebubkes, literally, goat droppings), plural of bubke, bobke, diminutive of bub, bob bean, of Slavic origin; akin to Polish bób bean] (1942) : the least amount : BEANS <won't win bubkes this year — Ivan Maisel>; also : NOTHING <received bubkes at nomination time — Lewis Beale>
compadre . . . . noun [Spanish, literally, godfather, from Medieval Latin compater — more at COMPEER] (1834) : a close friend : BUDDY
oy . . . . interjection [Yiddish] (1892) — used especially to express exasperation or dismay <oy, what a mess> |
Health and Medicine
Botox . . . . trademark — used of a preparation of botulinum toxin
exfoliant . . . . noun (1983) : a mechanical or chemical agent (as an abrasive skin wash or salicylic acid) that is applied to the skin to remove dead cells from the surface
fen-phen . . . . noun [fenfluramine + phentermine] (1994) : a former drug combination of phentermine with either fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine — called also phen-fen
heart-healthy . . . . adjective (1980) : conducive to a healthy heart and circulatory system <heart-healthy exercise> <a heart-healthy diet>
trichotillomania . . . . noun [New Latin, from trich- + Greek tillein to pull, pluck + New Latin mania] (ca. 1903) : an abnormal desire to pull out one's hair |
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International English
agony aunt . . . . noun (1975) chiefly British : a columnist who writes an agony column
cack-handed . . . . adjective [English dialect cack, keck awkward] (1854) 1 British : LEFT-HANDED 2 British : CLUMSY, AWKWARD
chappie . . . . noun (1821) British : FELLOW 4c
cheesed off . . . . adjective [origin unknown] (1942) chiefly British : ANGRY, IRRITATED
dog's breakfast noun (ca.1934) chiefly British : a confused mess or mixture |
Law and Government
bright-line (1982) adjective : providing an unambiguous criterion or guideline especially in law <a bright-line distinction>
1fast-track . . . . adjective . . . . 3 : of or relating to authority granted to the President of the U.S. by Congress that allows the President to negotiate trade agreements which Congress must confirm or reject in their entirety
identity theft noun (1991) : the illegal use of someone else's personal information (as a Social Security number) in order to obtain money or credit
Mirandize . . . . verb (1984) : to recite the Miranda warnings to (a person under arrest)
NIMBY . . . . noun [not in my backyard] (1980) : opposition to the locating of something considered undesirable (as a prison or incinerator) in one's neighborhood — NIMBYism . . . . noun
punditocracy . . . . noun, plural -cies [pundit + -cracy] (1987) : a group of powerful and influential political commentators |
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Popular Culture
Goth . . . . noun . . . . 2 often not capitalized a : rock music marked by dark and morbid lyrics b : a fan or performer of goth 3 : a person who wears mostly black clothing, uses dark dramatic makeup, and often has dyed black hair
headbanger . . . . noun (1979) : a musician who performs hard rock; also : a fan of hard rock
mosh pit noun (1988) : an area in front of a stage where very physical and rough dancing takes place at a rock concert |
Post 9-11 Effects
air marshal noun . . . . 2 : SKY MARSHAL
burka or burqa . . . . noun [Urdu, Persian & Arabic: Urdu burqa', from Persian burqa', burqu', from Arabic burqu'] (1836) : a loose enveloping garment that covers the face and body and is worn in public by certain Muslim women
collateral damage noun (1972) : injury inflicted on something other than the intended target; specifically : civilian casualties of a military operation
psyops . . . . noun plural, often attributive [psychological operations] (1966) : military operations usually aimed at influencing the enemy state of mind through noncombative means (as distribution of leaflets) |
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Science and Mathematics
buckytube . . . . [buckyball + tube] (1991) : a nanotube composed of pure carbon with a molecular arrangement similar to that of fullerene
junk DNA noun (1972) : a region of DNA that usually consists of a repeating DNA sequence, does not code for protein, and has no known function
nanoscale . . . . adjective (1986) : having dimensions measured in nanometers
vermiculture . . . . noun (1976) : the cultivation of annelid worms (as earthworms or bloodworms) especially for use as bait or in composting
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Slang
brewski . . . . noun [2brew + -ski, suffix in Slavic surnames] (1978) slang : BEER 4
dead presidents noun plural (1944) slang : U.S. money in the form of bills; specifically : DOLLARS
def . . . . adjective deffer; deffest [probably alteration of death (from the phrase to death excessively)] (1979) slang : COOL 7
phat . . . . adjective . . . . [probably alteration of 1fat] (1963) slang : highly attractive or gratifying : EXCELLENT <a phat beat moving through my body — Tara Roberts>
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Sports
chin music noun . . . . 2 : a usually high inside pitch in baseball intended to intimidate the batter
deke . . . . verb . . . . [short for 2decoy] (1960) transitive verb : to fake (an opponent) out of position (as in ice hockey) intransitive verb : to deke an opponent
peloton . . . . noun [French, literally, ball — more at PLATOON] (1951) : the main body of riders in a bicycle race
shootaround . . . . noun (1978) : a usually informal basketball practice session
smashmouth adjective (1984) : characterized by brute force without finesse
tweener . . . . noun [between + 2-er] (1978) : a player who has some but not all of the necessary characteristics for each of two or more positions (as in football or basketball) |
Miscellaneous
alterity . . . . noun [Late Latin alteritat-, alteritas, from alter] (1642) : OTHERNESS; specifically : the quality or state of being radically alien to the conscious self or a particular cultural orientation
bogart . . . . transitive verb [probably from Humphrey Bogart died 1957 American film actor] (1966) 1 : BULLY, INTIMIDATE <activists bogarted their way into the . . . offices — Sarah Ferguson> 2 : to use or consume without sharing <bogart a joint>
comb-over . . . . noun (1980) : an arrangement of hair on a balding man in which hair from the side of the head is combed over the bald spot
de minimis . . . . adjective [New Latin, concerning trifles] (1952) : lacking significance or importance : so minor as to merit disregard <de minimis fringe benefits>
funplex . . . . noun (1986) : an entertainment complex that includes facilities for various sports and games and often restaurants
gimme cap noun (1978) : an adjustable visored cap that often features a corporate logo or slogan
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Miscellaneous, continued
lookism . . . . also looksism . . . . noun (1978) : prejudice or discrimination based on physical appearance and especially physical appearance believed to fall short of societal notions of beauty
MacGuffin or McGuffin . . . . noun [coined by Alfred Hitchcock] (ca. 1939) : an object, event, or character in a film or story that serves to set and keep the plot in motion despite usually lacking intrinsic importance
navel-gazing . . . . noun (1963) :
useless or excessive self-contemplation
phreaker . . . . noun (1984) :
one who gains illegal access to the telephone system
shopaholic . . . . noun (1983) : one who is extremely or excessively fond of shopping
tankini . . . . noun [blend of tank (top) and bikini] (1985) : a woman's two-piece swimsuit consisting of bikini briefs and a tank top
waitron . . . . noun [blend of waiter or waitress and -tron (suggesting the machinelike impersonality of such work), later (perhaps influenced by neutron) taken as a gender-neutral term] (1980) : waitperson
yuppify . . . . transitive verb . . . . (1984) :
to make appealing to yuppies; also : to
infuse with the qualities or values of yuppies |
