One of America’s most trusted dictionaries, Merriam-Webster, has incorporated numerous crypto terminologies into its latest edition. According to Merriam-Webster, 270 terminologies that were added are primarily used in conversations about cryptos, NFTs, and Metaverse.
Some of those terms incorporated into the edition include “‘Altcoins” and ” “Metaverse.” According to the dictionary firm, these words describe the technicalities and functionalities of the emerging digital space, thereby creating a sense of recognition for its users.
A random check on the edition describes the “metaverse” as “a persistent virtual environment that allows access to and interoperability of multiple individual virtual realities.” This definition contrasts “meatspace,” which is described as “the physical world and environment, especially contrasted with the virtual world of cyberspace.”
Merriam-Webster defines altcoins as assets “that are regarded as alternatives to established cryptos and especially to Bitcoin and Ethereum.” This definition might ensue controversies, particularly among apologists of Bitcoin and Ethereum, who had recently insisted that both assets should not be classified as altcoins.
The edition captures “Use Cases” as “the functions or what an asset can perform.” The findings also added words like “unbanked” and “underbanked.” As defined, these individuals have no access to financial services.“Shrinkflation” is another new word in the latest edition, suggesting a gross reduction in a product at a fixed price.
Merriam-Webster to sustain the updating of words in subsequent editions
According to the longest-serving dictionary publishing company in the US, it will continue to update its terminologies in subsequent editions, which is necessary owing to its belief that the dictionary must complement the evolving nature of language.
Merriam-Webster says, “new terms and new uses for existing terms are constant in a living language, and our latest list brings together both new and likely familiar words that have shown extensive and established use.”
This latest addition comes barely ten months after the dictionary’s publisher unveiled its previous edition with new words. Merriam-Webster added hundreds of words in October to complement the trends occasioned by the implications of the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the company, “the quick and informal nature of messaging, texting, and tweeting has contributed to a vocabulary newly rich in efficient and abbreviated expressions.” Today, the firm enjoys over fifty million monthly views.
