Video game terminology and Dutch word added to Oxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary has expanded its lexicon with terms often used in the world of video games and a Dutch sweet delicacy. The dictionary's quarterly update includes 'player character' and 'non-player character', along with their abbreviations NPC and PC, referring to characters that gamers can and cannot control.
Other gaming terminologies like 'cheat code' and 'cutscene' have also been added, the former being a code that unlocks hidden features for players, while the latter refers to scenes viewed between gameplay. In addition, 'stroopwafel' has made its way into the English dictionary due to its increasing popularity in the UK.
This Dutch-origin snack comprises two thin waffles with a syrup or caramel filling, traditionally warmed atop a hot beverage. Other new entries include 'snark', indicating someone who complains indirectly or sarcastically, 'blandify', meaning to make something bland, and 'cosy crime', a genre of crime novels devoid of graphic violence descriptions.
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'Board gamers', referring to individuals who play board games, and 'three-dimensional chess', previously linked to the sci-fi TV series Star Trek but now used to describe a particularly complex activity, have also been included.
December's additions also included 'passion project', a term for a challenge taken on more for personal satisfaction than monetary reward, 'lickspittle', which refers to excessively flattering speech or behaviour, and 'lick-arse', a term for someone who overly flatters another.