Google Enters the Dictionary as a Verb

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Google Enters the Dictionary as a Verb

Jul 8th

Posted by Chris Leckness

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Merriam-Webster has added the term google to the latest version of its Collegiate Dictionary. The term is one of 100 new words or expressions that made the cut for this update. Not surprisingly, many of the new entries hail from the world of technology.
Joining google among Internet-related terms to make it onto the pages of the dictionary for the first time are mouse potato, a pejorative term that describes someone who spends a lot of time at a computer, and ringtone, a word that describes the ubiquitous and often-annoying sounds that signify an incoming call on a mobile phone.

Merriam-Webster has posted a sampling of the latest and greatest new expressions in the online version of its dictionary at www.m-w.com. Other newbies include spyware, unibrow, himbo, supersize, drama queen, agritourism, biodiesel, sandwich generation, and manga.

But the most prominent entrant — at least for tech junkies — is the term google, which has become synonymous with the concept of carrying out a search on the Internet, said Mukul Krishna, a Frost & Sullivan analyst. "People say to each other, ‘I googled that restaurant’ or ‘I googled you.’"

Other real-world examples of brand names being used as generic terms include Xerox, Hoover, and Kleenex.

In its 2005 annual report, Google actually acknowledged the trend to use its company name as a generic verb and warned in the report that its brand might get diluted as a result, potentially affecting the company’s bottom line.

The updated print version of the dictionary will be available in bookstores later this yesr.