Merriam-Webster announced Monday that its dictionary is now 250 words thicker. The new additions span a wide range, from the political to the culinary.
Merriam-Webster associate editor Emily Brewster said in a news release that additions are typically made because the words "are part of the current, active vocabulary of America," so it makes sense that several of Merriam-Webster's newest additions are politically charged. The dictionary officially defines "dog whistle" as "an expression or statement that has a secondary meaning intended to be understood only by a particular group of people"; "troll" as "to harass, criticize, or antagonize (someone) especially by provocatively disparaging or mocking public statements, postings, or acts"; and "alt-right" as "a right-wing, primarily online political movement or grouping based in the U.S. whose members reject mainstream conservative politics and espouse extremist beliefs and policies typically centered on ideas of white nationalism."
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