Merriam-Webster adds 'e-reader,' 'gastropub' and more

Many of the 2012 inclusions in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary are words that 'provide colorful images,' according to editor at large Peter Sokolowski.

Congratulations to “earworm,” “e-reader” and “game changer” – they and a host of other terms made the cut this year for the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary.

Merriam-Webster usually adds around a hundred words to the dictionary each year, and 2012’s inclusions ranged from slang to terms created by food aficionados.

“Some of the new words this year provide colorful images," Merriam-Webster Editor at Large Peter Sokolowski said in a statement. “Terms like 'man cave,' 'underwater' (when used to describe mortgages), 'earworm,' and 'bucket list' paint vivid pictures in your mind. They show that English-speakers can be very creative as they describe the world around them.”

Other notable newbies included “gastropub,” “f-bomb, “ “sexting” and “cloud computing.”