D'oh! The Simpsons Has Added to the English Language

Who knew that a 1996 episode of the long-running animated show "The Simpsons" would influence the likes of Merriam-Webster. Those linguistical experts have decided that "Embiggen" is worthy of being added to its dictionary, thus making it an official word.

The first known use of embiggen is in an episode where Lisa is researching the history of their town founder, Jebediah Springfield. He says what becomes the town's motto: "A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man."

(Video courtesy of YouTube)

Embiggen is just one of 849 other new words added to the massive collection. The associate editor of Merriam-Webster Emily Brewster says in order for a word to be added, "it must have widespread, sustained, and meaningful use."

Other words which made the cut: Wordie ("a lover of words"), mansplain (women know), and glamping (camping with all the warmth, water and power of a cozy home).

In 2014 Oxford English Dictionary added  "d'oh" and "meh."

If you'd like to read the whole story, click HERE!


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content