New Words, part 2

Continuing from yesterday, the list of 30 new words approved for use in English by the good people at Merriam-Webster.

16. Meatspace: “The physical world and environment especially as contrasted with the virtual world of cyberspace.”

What, now?

17. Metaverse: In computing, “a persistent virtual ... environment that allows access to and interoperability of multiple individual virtual realities,” as well as “any of the individual virtual environments that make up a metaverse.” In cosmology, “the hypothetical combination of all co-existing or sequentially existing universes.”

Again, what, now?

18. Oat Milk: “A liquid made from ground oats and water that is usually fortified (as with calcium and vitamins) and used as a milk substitute.”

Can you imagine how tiny the stool is that you sit on to milk an oat?

19. Omakase: As a noun, “a series of small servings or courses (as of sushi) offered at a fixed price and whose selection is left to the chef's discretion.” As an adverb or adjective, “according to the chef’s choice.”

Before I heard of the word "omakase", I knew this as "dinner would be whatever was left in the Kelvinator the night before Mom went to the Food Fair."

20. Pumpkin Spice: “A mixture of usually cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and often allspice that is commonly used in pumpkin pie.”

But the Pumpkin Spicers among us are not making pies; they're slurping coffee and lattes and espressos that purport to make us feel better by bringing back the aromas of childhood.

21. Ras El Hanout: “A mixture of ground spices that is used in northern African cooking and includes coriander, ginger, turmeric, peppercorns, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne pepper, and other spices.”

I have to get a jar of this, just so the next time we have company for supper, I can say, "Someone please pass me the Ras El Hanout." I'll probably wind up getting a bottle of catsup handed to me.

22. Shrinkflation: “The practice of reducing a product’s amount or volume per unit while continuing to offer it at the same price.”

This is why the giant-sized package of Froot Loops now holds about 4 ounces of loops.

23. Side Hustle: “Work performed for income supplementary to one's primary job.”

The trick here is to have two part-time jobs and convince the boss at each that your other job is full-time. Respect the system.

24. Space Force: “The military organization of a nation for space warfare.”

This all got started because someone with no military background or experience thought we needed one, and so we spend 40 million dollars a week on it for the same reason the Army has ships and the Navy has helicopters. What did we say about staying in one's own lane?

You decide. 

25. Sponcon: “Content ... posted usually by an influencer on social media that looks like a typical post but for which the poster has been paid to advertise a product or service.”

You see this nonsense on Facebook all the time and you wonder why. And then you wonder who gets fooled by it.

26. Subvariant: “One of two or more distinctive forms or types of the same variant.”

You see, you can have a cheesesteak sub, or you can have a pizza steak sub. Or you can have the COVID if you don't take precautions.

27. Supply Chain: “The chain of processes, businesses, etc. by which a commodity is produced and distributed: the companies, materials, and systems involved in manufacturing and delivering goods.”

AKA: why it's so hard to find toilet paper or peanut butter. Companies love to say, "Oh, my. It rained in the forest where we get the trees to make TP, so we'll send some in six months." See also: "How to create a shortage and lengthen your profits."

28. Sus: Slang for “suspicious” or “suspect.”

Don't confuse this with the British word "suss," meaning "figure it out."  For example: "The disgraced, twice-impeached politician sussed that he is a sus in several felony cases."

29. Virtue Signaling: “The act or practice of conspicuously displaying one's awareness of and attentiveness to political issues, matters of social and racial justice, etc., especially instead of taking effective action.”

I first saw this one bubbling up a couple of years ago when people realized that they could get credit for doing constructive things just by saying they were going to do constructive things.

30. Yeet: As an interjection, “used to express surprise, approval, or excited enthusiasm.” As a verb, “to throw especially with force and without regard for the thing being thrown.”

Again, don't be confused between this word and "jeat," the long-time Baltimore term in the sentence "Jeat yet?" meaning, "Have your had your supper today?" 

More words next year, we hope!