'It seems to be catching on' - OED adds 'tweet' to the dictionary

June's quarterly update to the Oxford English Dictionary includes a raft of technology-inspired words

‘Big data’, ‘crowdsourcing’ and ‘e-reader’ have all been added to the dictionary (Getty Images)

The latest update to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added a “healthy chunk” of words and meanings taken from the world of technology

‘Big data’, ‘crowdsourcing’ and ‘e-reader’ have all been added to the dictionary, though other entries have simply been expanded to include new grammatical usages of words.

This means that ‘redirect’ has become a noun as well as a verb (“An instance of redirecting a URL for a web page to another”) whilst ‘stream’ became a verb in addition to a noun.

The June 2013 update also included the tacit admission from Chief Editor John Simpson, that the current rules for the entry of new words might have become outdated as the internet speeds the pace of language change.

The word ‘tweet’ (appearing as both noun and verb) was added, despite the fact that it breaks the OED rule that “a new word needs to be current for ten years before consideration for inclusion.” In reference to this addition Simpson noted that the word “seems to be catching on.”

Another instance of language usage running ahead of language standardization was the addition of ‘mouseover’. The OED even stated that their use of the technology on the OED Online “predates our inclusion of the term in the dictionary.”

Other new additions included flash mob, 3D printer and live-blogging. Fans of interesting words in general were also hopefully pleased by the likes of 'schlumpy' (of Yiddish origin, meaning sloppy or unkempt) and Mephistophelian (for those that display a devilish ingenuity in their deeds) making long overdue appearances.