It’s a seriously bizarre situation. The newest word in most English dictionaries is actually an older word which was just returned to active status.
When the word “gullible” was removed from new dictionaries a few years ago it caused huge controversies among casual lexicographers as well as crossword and Scrabble fans. No one outside the cloistered editorial offices of Oxford University could understand the rationale. Honestly, I still don’t. But it was done.
The word refused to leave active usage, however, and was grudgingly replaced during the last publishing cycle making it one of thirty-two new words added last Fall (2004). The issue continues to spark arguments as one person will often remark to another that the term “gullible” is not in the dictionary but when a recent edition is consulted, it does again appear.
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