Merriam-Webster adds 'ransomware,' 'Internet of Things' to dictionary

Jessica Kim Cohen -

Merriam-Webster added 250 words to its online dictionary, the company announced Sept. 18.

Its additions include ransomware, a malware "that requires the victim to pay a ransom to access encrypted files." Another entry describes the Internet of Things as "the networking capability that allows information to be sent to and received from objects and devices (such as fixtures and kitchen appliances) using the Internet."

The cyber-terminology joins other new definitions like froyo, onboarding and working memory.

"These terms have shown themselves to be fully established members of the language," the company wrote in an online statement. "As always, the expansion of the dictionary mirrors the expansion of the language and reaches into all the various cubbies and corners of the lexicon."

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