The word “Yolo” is now an official member of the English language.
According to its website, the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) approved a new slate of words including terms connected to Roald Dahl and his writing (September marks his birth month). “Dahlesque,” “splendiferous” and “human bean” were added to the lexicon.
“Biatch,” “yogalates,” “‘Merica,” “Oompa Loompa,” “scrumdiddlyumptious” and “Yoda” were also a few of the terms added to the OED.
“Yolo” is shorthand for “You only live once,” and some may argue that Drake coined the term in his 2011 song, “The Motto.”
Oxford publishes four updates a year — the next update of words will be added to the dictionary in December.
In 2011, the dictionary was scrutinized for adding teen-friendly internet and texting abbreviations “OMG,” “LOL,” “FYI” and the heart symbol (♥) to its once-prestigious, now porous pages. In an op-ed for The Washington Post, columnist Alexandra Petri groused that the OED is “supposed to have dignity. It is supposed to enshrine the words that actually mean things.”
Browse the full list of newly-approved OED words here.