Word!

Words start here: 10 criteria dictionaries use for adding new terms

Image: Pisit Heng

If you’ve ever wondered how new words like "binge-watch" or "hangry" end up in the dictionary, you’re not alone. Lexicographers—the editors who compile dictionaries—track how often and how widely a word is used before giving it a permanent spot. If enough people are saying it, writing it, and using it to mean the same thing, it just might be a good fit!

Image: Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦

Lexicographers track language by reading books, articles, and online content. They watch for new words, shifts in meaning, and changes in grammar.

They also study specialized terms from fields like medicine and technology, since these words often move into everyday use.

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Frequency plays a key role in whether a word makes it into the dictionary. A word must be used often enough to become part of everyday language. It can't be a one-time trend or a fad.

Frequent and consistent use across different sources shows that it's widely understood. That’s what helps it earn a place in the dictionary.

Image: Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦

For a new word to enter the dictionary, it must be widely used across various groups. It can't be limited to a small group, niche community, or a tribal thing.

The word should appear in different contexts and be used by a broad range of people. Widespread usage shows it has become part of the common language.

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Another requirement for adding a new word to the dictionary is that it must be meaningful. It should clearly express a specific idea or concept.

If the word doesn’t have a clear, understandable meaning, it won’t be considered. Clarity is essential for a word to earn its place in the dictionary.

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The next factor for dictionary inclusion is longevity. A word should show signs that it will stick around and not fade into obscurity shortly after emerging.

Even though language evolves quickly, words that disappear quickly or seem like short-lived trends usually don’t make the cut.

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To be included in the dictionary, a new word must have a stable meaning. It should consistently represent the same idea or concept over time.

If the definition shifts too often or remains unclear, the word is less likely to be accepted. Dictionaries prioritize reliability and consistency in usage.

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When considering the inclusion of a new word, lexicographers collect citations that show the word in context, along with the sources where it appears.

These citations help track how the word is used over time and support its case for entry into the dictionary. They are essential for verifying both meaning and consistent usage.

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After a proposed new word meets all the criteria, it is reviewed by the dictionary’s editorial board.

The board evaluates its usage and meaning, then decides whether to include it and how to define it accurately.

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Some words, while valid, are not suited for dictionaries and instead belong in encyclopedias. Dictionaries define words, while encyclopedias explain specific people, places, or things. That’s why proper nouns usually appear in encyclopedias rather than dictionaries.

For example, a dictionary defines sly as an adjective, but an encyclopedia might list Sly, the 1920 Italian opera by Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari.

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Some dictionaries, such as the Oxford English Dictionary, allow the public to suggest new words and submit examples of their usage.

These contributions help lexicographers stay current with language changes and identify emerging trends.

Hidden marketing

You say ChapStick, I say lip balm… and other trademark tales

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Ever asked for a Band-Aid when you really meant any bandage? Or told someone to Google something even if they used another search site? We all do it, and we don’t even notice, and that’s because some everyday words we use are actually trademarks that belong to specific companies. Here, we’ve just gathered just a few, but you may end up realizing you sound like a walking commercial more often than you thought.

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Cold weather hits, your lips get dry, and you ask for a ChapStick. But unless it says ChapStick on the tube, you are probably just using a regular lip balm. Wyeth LLC owns the trademark, and they made it official in 2009. By then, the name was already rolling off everyone’s tongue, so it stuck for good.

Image: Possessed Photography

Every cut, scrape, and blister seems to call for a Band-Aid, even when the box actually says something else. Johnson & Johnson trademarked the name in 1925, and it became the word we all use without thinking. Kids, especially, never say "adhesive bandage." It is always a Band-Aid.

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That little blue-and-white jar might not really be Vaseline, but who is checking the fine print? Unilever owns the name, and technically, it just refers to one brand of petroleum jelly. Yes, that’s the generic term. Still, most of us reach for the name Vaseline whether we are soothing dry skin or covering a scrape.

Image: Wander Fleur

Moving boxes are stressful, but Bubble Wrap makes up for it. Sealed Air Corporation owns the name, trademarked in 1983, but we call just about any sheet of cushioning bubbles Bubble Wrap. And let’s be honest, we care less about the trademark and more about the fun of popping it.

Image: Jacob McGowin

"Throw it in the Crock-Pot" has become kitchen shorthand for slow cooking. Sunbeam registered the name in 1972, and it quickly became part of family dinner traditions. The generic term is slow cooker, but to most of us, Crock-Pot is the only name that matters.

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Table tennis might be the proper term, but Ping-Pong is the one most of us grew up saying. The trademark dates back to 1931 and belongs to Escalade Sports in America. Still, when friends set up a folding table in the basement, nobody calls it table tennis. Ping-Pong just feels right.

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Hot summer afternoon, kids run to the freezer, and what do they want? A Popsicle. Unilever owns the trademark, registered in 2001, but really, they are ice pops. Try calling them that and see how many eye rolls you get. Popsicle is the word that stuck.

Image: SJ 📸

That rip of Velcro is instantly recognizable. The company Velcro Industries trademarked the name in 1975, but technically, it is called a hook-and-loop fastener. Try saying that three times fast. That’s why Velcro won the word war, simply because it is fun to say and easy to remember.

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When was the last time you told someone to "Bing it"? Exactly. Google became such a dominant name that it turned into a verb almost overnight. They registered the trademark in 2004, but by now "Google it" means "look it up," no matter which search engine you use.

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Not every real estate agent is a Realtor. That word was trademarked in 1950 by the National Association of Realtors, and it refers only to members of the group. Still, most people toss it around for any agent who shows them a house. It is another case where the trademarked name became the everyday word.