Oxford Dictionary adds 'LOL,' 'BFF,' other slang

Andre Yoskowitz
29 Mar 2011 2:21

The Oxford English Dictionary has added a number of popular Internet slang terms to its pages this week.
LOL, BFF, IMHO, and OMG (that's laugh out loud, best friends forever, in my humble opinion and oh my God) are now included in the Dictionary, legitimizing the terms used by millions in texts, emails and instant messages.

Additionally, the Dictionary added its first ever symbol, <3, which represents a heart or love.
The terms were among 900 words added to the OED during a quarterly update.

Says Graeme Diamond, OED's principal editor for new words (via MM):

Things people think are new words normally have a longer history. The OED is quite cautious about which words make the cut.

Among other terms that were added are "muffin top" and "WAG." "Muffin top" is the slang for a fat stomach which hangs over the side of the waist of pants, and "wag" is a tabloid term for the wives and girlfriends of famous athletes.