“New” words you’ll find in the latest edition of the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary: fanboy (a boy who is an enthusiastic devotee of such things as comics or movies) and Texas hold ‘em (the poker game).

Also making the cut: netroots (like grassroots, but online) and subprime (like the mortgage).

Source: CBC News

Now, this one is a little tricky …

To pwn: to wipe the floor with your opposition, usually in a multiplayer PC or next-gen console game.

The legends behind the coining of the term pwn are many, as are the pronunciations (”own” and “pawn” being among the most popular). The story usually involves a typo of the word “own” (referring to dominance in the gaming arena), and this making its way into common usage despite — or perhaps because of — the obvious error.

[Source: Urban Dictionary]

This is the second in a new series of irregular entries defining words from geek culture. If you have suggestions or requests, shoot me an e-mail or leave a comment below.

To nerf: To make worse or weaken, usually in the context of weakening something in order to balance out a game. (more…)

Today a new feature debuts: the NerdWord. On a semi-regular basis you’ll see words from geek culture defined, explained and sometimes even illustrated.

It won’t be a daily thing, or a weekly thing, but probably something in between.

If you have suggestions or requests for NerdWord, shoot me an e-mail or leave a comment below!

And now, the first NerdWord: (more…)