The venerable Merriam-Webster dictionary got an update Thursday. The new words and senses, currently available online, will be included in the 2006 version of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, due out this fall. Here are some technology and science highlights. The year notes the first known usage of the term.
avian influenza (n) 1980: a highly variable mild to fulminant influenza of birds that is caused by strains of the influenza A virus which may mutate and be transmitted to other vertebrates--called also "bird flu"
biodiesel (n) 1986: a fuel that is similar to diesel fuel and is derived from usu. vegetable sources (as soybean oil)
google (vt) 2001: to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web
manga (n) 1951: a Japanese comic book or graphic novel
mouse potato (n) 1993 slang: a person who spends a great deal of time using a computer
ringtone (n) 1983: the sound made by a cell phone to signal an incoming call
spyware (n) 1994: software that is installed in a computer without the user's knowledge and transmits information about the user's computer activities over the Internet
text messaging (n) 1982: the sending of short text messages electronically esp. from one cell phone to another
wave pool (n) 1977: a large swimming pool equipped with a machine for making waves
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That’s some great stuff!
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