‘eSports’, ‘permadeath’ and ‘dox’ added to the dictionary

Dictionary.com has added a number of gaming and technology centric words to its listings.

Chief among them is ‘esports’, which the site describes simply as competitive tournaments of video games”.

Also on the list are ‘permadeath’ (the permanent death of a defeated character, after which the player of the game cannot continue with the same character”) and ‘dox’ (to publish the private personal information of (another person) without the consent of that individual”).

The site said that the additions were decided upon primarily by just closely observing the use of language both on and offline.

The oldest tool of all for dictionary writing is reading widely,” it said. From literature to scientific journals to new media outlets, these sources allow us to find and pinpoint both completely new words as well as words that are shifting in meaning and need new definitions.

We also look to our users—both directly in reviewing user suggestions and indirectly by analysing words they look up that do not yet have definitions. In 2014, for example, our users were searching for microaggression and dox, but they weren’t finding any definitions. Dictionary.com’s primary purpose is to help people gain a deeper understanding of language.

It’s important for us to listen to the data to make sure we’re answering our user’s questions, whether they’re about spelling, subtleties in meaning, or the definition of a new slang term.”

Here are a few other tech terms included in the update:

• dark web: the portion of the Internet that is intentionally hidden from search engines, uses masked IP addresses, and is accessible only with a special web browser.
• haptics: the study or use of tactile sensations and the sense of touch as a method of interacting with computers and electronic devices.
• lifehack: a tip, trick, or efficient method for doing or managing a day-to-day task or activity.
• ship: to take an interest in a romantic relationship between fictional characters or famous people.
• slacktivism: actions taken to bring about political or social change but requiring only minimal commitment, effort, or risk: students engaging in slacktivism by signing an online petition.
• smartwatch: a computing device that resembles a wristwatch and is attached to a band worn around the wrist.