/tags/dictionary dictionary en-US Copyright Tue, 10 Dec 2019 20:51:42 GMT /news/2019-12-10/the-biggest-word-of-2019-ask-ohio-state-university Merriam-Webster Dictionary has released its words of the year. At number six: "the."The three-letter word familiar to every English speaker takes on… Tue, 10 Dec 2019 20:51:42 GMT /news/2019-12-10/the-biggest-word-of-2019-ask-ohio-state-university Clare Roth /npr-news/2018-03-05/a-phrase-for-our-time-merriam-webster-adds-dumpster-fire-to-dictionary Editor Peter Sokolowski predicts the phrase is here to stay. "It's been used so broadly in the last two to three years ... that people in the future will have to know what it meant." Mon, 05 Mar 2018 21:32:00 GMT /npr-news/2018-03-05/a-phrase-for-our-time-merriam-webster-adds-dumpster-fire-to-dictionary Laurel Wamsley /npr-news/2017-04-19/from-f-bomb-to-photobomb-how-the-dictionary-keeps-up-with-english For a new word to enter the dictionary, it must meet three criteria: widespread use, sustained use and meaningful use. Merriam-Webster lexicographer Kory Stamper explains the process in Word by Word. Wed, 19 Apr 2017 17:32:00 GMT /npr-news/2017-04-19/from-f-bomb-to-photobomb-how-the-dictionary-keeps-up-with-english Terry Gross