Language is always evolving — we find new slang words every day and sometimes it can be hard to keep up.

Luckily Merriam-Webster wants to make it easier for us to look up what some of these words mean — the dictionary just added 840 new words to their database.

“Hangry,” “TL;DR” and “bougie” have all made this list and until now, wouldn’t have been considered reputable language. “Bougie” has been used numerous times in pop culture now and featured front and center in Migos’ song “Bad and Boujee” — Merriam-Webster defines the word as “a disparaging substitute for bourgeois.”

A bunch of other abbreviated and colloquial terms have been added as well — your SO probably thinks it’s “adorbs” that you have a “fav marg” to order at happy hour. Speaking of food and drinks, maybe you’d like a “flight” of beer and a “mocktail” to have with your favorite “hophead” over a bowl of “zoodles.”

The dictionary has also added more technological terms such as “haptics,” which is the science of touch, “biohacking” and “fintech.” Foreign words also include “iftar,” a sundown meal to break Ramadan daily fasting, “mise en place,” a word that refers to the positioning of ingredients before cooking in French and “gochujang,” a Korean chili paste.

On a more serious note, the word “Latinx” has also been added to the dictionary — a more gender-neutral term than calling someone Latino or Latina. There’s been some controversy against this term as many people don’t see the need for a gender neutral term while others think it’s time to update a gendered language.

“Generation Z” has also made the cut as it’s the umbrella term for those born in the early 2000s or around that time. “Food bank,” “tent city” and “self-harm” fall under the category of social issues and happenings.

Whenever Merriam-Webster comes out with new words, there are always people that’ll dismiss it as going too far or tainting something that’s already been established. Many don’t see the need to reinvent the wheel or are scared of change.

However you might feel, language and grammar are always changing and will always change — there’s really nothing you can do about it. “Instagramming” and “bingeable” shows are a part of history now and history must be documented.

So, “TL;DR:” Get with the times.

Amber Wang is a freelancer for Popdust and various other sites. She is also a student at NYU, a photographer and intern at the Stonewall Inn National Monument.

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