Merriam-Webster is rolling out a fresh edition of its best-selling Collegiate Dictionary, adding more than 5,000 words such as “petrichor,” “teraflop,” “dumbphone” and “ghost kitchen.”
The 12th edition — the first full overhaul in 22 years — will be released Nov. 18, with preorders now available. The update eliminates older sections on geography and biography to make space for new terms and examples.
Other additions include “cold brew,” “farm-to-table,” “dad bod,” “rizz,” “cancel culture,” “beast mode,” “WFH” and “doomscroll.” More than 20,000 new usage examples were also added.
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Merriam-Webster President Greg Barlow said the redesign aims to make the dictionary “more useful, more fun to browse, and more practical for research.” He acknowledged declining print dictionary sales but said the format remains central to the company’s identity.
Despite digital dominance, print dictionaries still hold nostalgic and cultural value, particularly in schools with phone bans and among book lovers. Merriam-Webster’s website, apps and games draw nearly a billion visits annually, driving revenue growth of nearly 500% over the last decade.
Source: Agency