If Only Webster Were Here…

Like finding a needle (or several) in a haystack, the New York Times has discovered and released the brand-new buzzwords of 2008.  Here are the official words from lexicographer Grant Barret.

• Fail is now used in the phrase, “A bucket of fail!” It is considered an antonym of win or victory.
• A malus is a salary cut or penalty made by a suffering business or company.
• The word change is considered to be the number one buzzword of 2008 (according to KHQ News), but the New York Times call it more “political wallpaper” than an actual buzzword.
• “Caribou Barbie” is also known as the former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
• The word Obamanation is a positive reference to our future president and all that he stands for.  Visit the above link to see other words from the dictionary “Obamafied,” including Bamelot.
• A frugalista is someone who is frugal and fashionable at the same time.
• Taking a staycation involves taking time off from work without traveling.
• Digital cliff - the effect of attempting to use an analog TV signal after February 18, 2009.
• Skadoosh I love this one! Skadoosh was made popular by Jack Black’s adorable panda bear character in the movie “Kung Fu Panda”.
• Phelpsian This one speaks for itself. Phelpsian is an adjective used to describe anything honoring the excellent achievements of Michael Phelps during this past Olympic Games. All in all, he earned eight medals and set seven world records!
• Gas-sipper is an antonym to the word gas-guzzler.
• Joe As made popular by Joe Six-Pack, Joe the Biden, Joe the Plumber, and Amtrak Joe, this word refers to any everyday average man.
• Greyjing is a nickname for the smoggy and gray city of Beijing
• A f ish pedicure is unlike any other pedicure because small fish eat the dead skin off someone’s feet.  Lovely!
• Sister wife refers to a woman who shares her husband with another woman.
• “Lipstick on a pig” is a phrase that both Obama and Sarah Palin used during campaigning.
• Photobombing is what happens when someone inserts him- or herself into a picture without permission or welcome.
• DWT (driving while texting) is the unafe behavior of sending text messages via a cellular device while operating an automobile.

Check out these other 2008 buzzwords on the site linked above for more hilarious and silly definitions!

• Age-doping
• Pregorexia
• Throwie
• Hockey mom
• Twitt-
• Plutoid
• Futarchy
• Maverick
• Quake lake
• Recessionista
• TBTF (too big to fail)
• In the tank
• Twi-hard ( Twilight rocks!)
• Naked short selling
• Nuke the fridge
• Edupunk
• Stag-deflation
• Longphoto
• Burrowing
• Terrorist fist jab

Have your or your friends ever made up awesome new words?  If so, what are they?  How are they used in conversation?

My friends and I love to do this! We actually started our own dictionary so that we could keep track of all our outrageously funny new words.