Oxford English Dictionary adds slang words and Star Wars terms in latest update

More than 650 words added

(Getty)

Jedi, chirpse and arancini are among the new words added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in its latest update.

More than 650 words have been added, ranging from slang (“sumfin” and “whatevs”) to Star Wars terms, such as “The Force”.

There’s a nod to president Trump via the addition of “Fake News”, which the dictionary defines as the "circulation of inaccurate and untrustworthy news stories specifically on social media”; and the very contemporary condition of nomophobia, which is when people have anxiety about not having access to a mobile phone.

As for food additions, the rise of Hawaiian cuisine has been recognised thanks to the addition of “poke”, a dish of marinated raw fish served over rice; while two popular American salads, cobb and wedge, have also been included in the update.

Different meanings have been added to “hanging” and “steaming”, both of which have acquired new alcohol-related definitions in recent years – the former refers to a hangover while the latter means a state of intense inebriation.

Other additions include “chillax”, “simples” and “promposal”, where a person invites someone to be their date to a school prom, usually in an elaborate manner, which is custom in some US high schools.

The OED publishes four updates every year, with previous additions including “bae” and “bastardly”.

You can read the full list of new words here.