Baltimore Media Examiner

Merriam-Webster Inc. has added more than 100 new

entries to its new edition of the Collegiate Dictionary.

-Air quotes (1989): gesture made by raising and flexing the

index and middle fingers of both hands, used to call attention to a

spoken word or expression.

-Dark energy (1998): hypothetical form of energy that produces a

force that opposes gravity and is thought to cause the accelerating

expansion of the universe.

-Dirty bomb (1956): bomb designed to release radioactive material.

-Dwarf planet (1993): celestial body that orbits the sun and has

a spherical shape, but is too small to disturb other objects from its orbit.

-Edamame (1951): immature green soybeans, usually in the pod.

-Fanboy (1919): boy who is an enthusiastic devotee, such as of

comics or movies.

-Infinity pool (1992): outdoor swimming pool with an edge over

which water flows into a trough, but seems to flow into the horizon.

-Jukebox musical (1993): musical that features popular songs

from the past.

-Kiteboarding (1996): the sport of riding on a small surfboard

propelled across water by a large kite, to which the rider is harnessed.

-Malware (1990): software designed to interfere with a

computer's normal functioning.

-Mental health day (1971): day that an employee takes off from

work to relieve stress or renew vitality.

-Mondegreen (1954): word or phrase that results from a

mishearing of something said or sung. From the mishearing in a

Scottish ballad of "laid him on the green" as "Lady Mondegreen."

-Netroots (2003): grassroots political activists who communicate

via the Internet, especially by blogs.

-Norovirus (2002): any of a genus of small round single-stranded

RNA viruses; specifically, Norwalk virus.

-Pescatarian (1993): vegetarian whose diet includes fish.

-Phytonutrient (1994): bioactive, plant-derived compound (as

resveratrol) associated with positive health effects.

-Pretexting (1992): presenting oneself as someone else to obtain

private information.

-Prosecco (1881): a dry Italian sparkling wine.

-Racino (1995): racetrack at which slot machines are available for gamblers.

-Soju (1978): a Korean vodka distilled from rice.

-Subprime (1995) 1: having or being an interest rate that is

higher than a prime rate and is extended especially to low-income

borrowers; 2: extending or obtaining a subprime loan.

-Supercross (1983): motorcycle race held in a stadium on a dirt

track having hairpin turns and high jumps.

-Texas Hold 'em (1995): Poker in which each player is dealt two

cards face down and all players share five cards dealt face-up.

-Webinar (1998): live, online educational presentation during

which participating viewers can submit questions and comments.

-Wing nut (circa 1900): Slang: one who advocates extreme

measures or changes; radical. 

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)