New Words for 2009 “Frenemy,” “Staycation” and “Green-Collar”

NEW WORDS FOR 2009: â€Å"FRENEMY,† â€Å"STAYCATION† AND â€Å"GREEN-COLLAR† Okay, so if you’re like me (read: if you’re a big word geek), you kind of look forward to finding out which of this year’s â€Å"it† terms make the transition from blogs and pop culture to bona fide dictionary entries. Merriam-Webster just released their list of words that will be included in the updated 2009 edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Here are a few of Merriam-Webster’s picks for 2009: †¢ A frenemy is someone who pretends to be your friend, but you guessed it is really out to get you (I was a little surprised to learn that, according to Wikipedia, this word has been kicking around since the early 1950s I mostly associated it with lame reality TV stars and tween girls). †¢ A locavore is somebody who eats fresh, local food whenever they can. †¢ Shawarma is a pita-bread sandwich, usually filled with sliced lamb or chicken (and, if you haven’t had one, you’re missing out – sooo good). †¢ If you’ve got a green-collar job, you’re getting paid to do something to help protect the environment – like trying to reduce your carbon footprint (also a new word for 2009 – it seems the environment was a hot topic this year). †¢ And, of course, there’s a staycation, or taking a vacation without leaving home – 2009’s answer to getting a little R R in a lackluster economy. Also on the list: reggaeton, memory foam, waterboarding, fan fiction – and more. You can check out all of Merriam-Webster’s new words and their definitions on their website. So, what do you think? Did the folks at Merriam-Webster get it right? Do you agree with their choices? What are your personal picks for the best new words of 2009? Let us know what you think!