New words added to the dictionary

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Merriam-Webster made more words official by adding them to the dictionary in October 2021 and in January 2021.  I'm sharing a dozen of the words (in no particular order) because they made me think.  The first three are from the deadly virus that taught us all the word pandemic and changed our world in 2020.

• vaccine passport = a physical or digital document providing proof of vaccination against an infectious disease such as COVID-19.  I keep my vaccination record card in a safe place and also photographed it so a picture of it is in my phone, in case I need it.
• long COVID = a condition that is marked by the presence of symptoms (such as fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, headache, or brain fog) which persist for an extended period of time (such as weeks or months) following a person's initial recovery from COVID-19 infection.
• long hauler = a person who experiences one or more long-term effects following initial improvement or recovery from a serious illness such as COVID-19.
• TBH = abbreviation for "To Be Honest," used in text messages.
• dad bod = a physique regarded as typical of an average father, especially one that is slightly overweight and not extremely muscular.
• folx = folks, used especially to explicitly signal the inclusion of groups commonly marginalized.
• doorbell camera = a small camera that is designed for use on an exterior door, that includes or connects to a doorbell, and that often has a built-in microphone and speaker.
• crowdfunding = the practice of obtaining needed funding (as for a new business or to pay for medical expenses) by soliciting contributions from a large number of people, especially from the online community.
• BIPOC = abbreviation for "Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color," used in text messages.
• prison industrial complex = the profit-driven relationship between the government, the private companies that build, manage, supply, and service prisons, and related groups (such as prison industry unions and lobbyists) regarded as the cause of increased incarceration rates (especially of poor people and minorities) and often for nonviolent crimes.
• silver fox = an attractive middle-aged man having mostly gray or white hair.
• hygge = a cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable.  I wrote about hygge in 2017 when I read Meik Wiking's The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living.

This article and this one have a bunch more of the words, if you want to keep reading about new words in the dictionary.