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Unfriend: The New American Dictionary's Word of the Year

GeekSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:46:25 -0800

The New Oxford American Dictionary just released its annual Word of the Year and it's unsurprisingly tech-related. This year's honor goes to "unfriend," defined as by the dictionary as, "To remove someone as a 'friend' on a social networking site such as Facebook."

The Word of the Year is chosen from newly created words by researchers based on language trends, popularity, and cultural significance. Some popular geeky words that were up for the honor are no stranger to GeekSugar: "sexting" and "netbook" were also considered, along with "hashtag," referencing the popular Twitter "#" character and "intexticated," the state of distraction one experiences while driving and texting.

I think that "unfriend" is a pretty fitting addition to the dictionary. Plus, its inclusion makes it easy to decide between the terms "defriend" and the newly validated "unfriend."

Guess the New Oxford American Dictionary's Word of the Year

TresSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:00:09 -0800

It's that time of year again! Pumpkins, turkeys, and the word of the year. Every dictionary chooses its own, so expect this to be the first of many. The New Oxford American Dictionary looked all over the Internet for a word with currency, potential longevity, and "real lex-appeal!" What's the lexiest of them all?

Source: Flickr User MorBCN

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Vocabulary Test Time! Can You Speak (New) English?

TresSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:30:00 -0700

Every day editors of the Merriam-Webster dictionary spend hours reading books, magazines, newspapers, and online publications to find out how people are using the English language. Eventually, if a word is used enough, it gets added to the dictionary! This year, Merriam-Webster added 100 new words, including frenemy, ginormous, smackdown, sudoku, and speed dating. The dictionary publishers say the words are included because of their extensive use, but some of the new additions seem pretty obscure to me. I guess that's what ~~Google~~ a dictionary is for! See if you can match some of the more random words to their newly-printed official definitions!

Source: Flickr User mricon

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Geek Tip: Get Quick Dictionary Definitions Via Email

GeekSugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 15:06:48 -0800

Have you ever been stuck in a cabin in the woods playing Scrabble with your friends when an intense debate begins about the spelling of the game-taking word? Next time you're without a strong internet connection (or just don't feel like doing the googling yourself) you can use your smartphone or computer to email wsmith@wordsmith.org and you'll be treated to the dictionary definition and synonyms of any word.

All you have to do is send a blank email to the wordsmith.org address. Make the subject line: "define myword" where "myword" is insert the word whose definition you need.

It's also a fast way to solve word queries during lunch with friends because you don't have to suffer through a mobile search engine.

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Flashback: Bill and Ted's Excellent Dictionary

GiggleSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:00:00 -0800

Duuudes, I'm convinced that we collectively went brain dead during the '90s. That's the only way I can explain the most triumphant rise of Bill and Ted. They weren't excellent role models, and yet, they managed to make a bodacious mockery of the English language and get others to join in. Now that the '90s are long gone, let's be excellent to each other and forget these terms ever existed - minus "dude," of course. It's timeless!

Website of the Day: Ninja Words

GeekSugar — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 14:00:00 -0800

Why is it whenever you need a quick definition you are stuck reading the Latin meaning, what the word means broken into a hundred different parts and then maybe if you scroll, scan and decipher, the definition you want finally appears?

Now with Ninja words, you can type in a word and get a quick, short, easy-to-read definition where you don't have to learn Italian to understand it - was that so hard?!

What's your favorite website? For tips of sharing it with me, just read more

First of all, join the Website of the Day group
Click the pink "Share" menu on the top left side of the page
Choose "Blog" and “Regular Post”
Give your story a “Title”
Fill in the “Body” with a link to your favorite website and the reasons why you love it
Click “Next"
Choose the audience for your story to “Website of the Day” in the drop-down menu
Add keyword(s) (for example mine for this photo was "Website of the Day")
Change channel to “Technology and Gadgets”
Fill in tag field with relevant tags
Click “I’m done” to submit content

So join the Website of the Day group and share information about all your favorite sites! Yours just might end up on the geeksugar homepage!

Where's A Dictionary When You Need One?

GiggleSugar — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 11:03:20 -0800

Why must they use such big words on game shows? Are they intentionally trying to publicly humiliate us, or something? It's as though they think our eagerness to play along, despite the look of deep and profound confusion on our faces, makes for amusing television- which it doesn't. It's just downright "urban" of them, if you ask me.

It's Dictionary Day: What's Your Favorite Word For Sass?

TresSugar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:16:17 -0700

Since it's Dictionary Day, a day to promote using the dictionary and expanding your vocabulary, I figured I'd ask you your favorite word for someone with sass.

Sassy is not my favorite word, but one of the words below that describes a woman who isn't afraid to grab what she wants is a favorite! What's your favorite word for someone with sass or moxie, or chutzpah or . . .

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The New Electronic Dictionary and MP3 Player By Sharp

GeekSugar — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 08:06:42 -0800

With the latest electronic dictionary from Sharp, you'll never have to say "how do you spell..." again!

This fire engine red RD-9100MP dictionary boasts sixty-seven volumes of assorted dictionaries and their associated language learning tools, an e-Book reader, a MP3 player, an FM radio, a voice recorder and a five inch LCD screen for easy viewing.

This compact, all-in-one gadget costs about $272. Keep checking back to Sharp.com for U.S availability.

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[via Engadget]

Fab Read: The Little Dictionary of Fashion

FabSugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:15:22 -0800

If you've ever hankered for style advice from a couturier, look no further. Christian Dior himself reveals that he abhors women who wear high heels with slacks, along with other style bites, in The Little Dictionary of Fashion: A Guide to Dress Sense for Every Woman ($14), which was originally published in 1954.

The handbag-sized book, which is fully illustrated and filled with fun facts like Dior finding the color purple to be "a hue full of danger," was recently republished to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Dior's famous "New Look" collection.