Last Updated on October 23, 2023
I knew when the coronavirus pandemic began that it wouldn’t take long for the first new COVID-19 word to reach the dictionary.
The honor of being the first new COVID-19 word to enter the dictionary may go to social distancing. It seemed that one received a great deal of attention.
One might argue that COVID-19 itself might be the first. COVID-19 stands for “corona virus disease.” The 19 refers to 2019, the year doctors recorded the first case in China.
Just last week, I mentioned new words the Oxford English Dictionary added.
On the other hand, I’m going to tell you about a single word the dictionary did not add. But once you hear about it, you may agree with me that OED should get busy doing so.
The word in question could refer to spring breakers who refused early on to take the threat of a pandemic seriously. Despite warnings to avoid large gatherings, they flocked to beaches to party. Some even said — on national television — they wanted to party, risk be damned.
The word could also refer to some churchgoers and pastors who likewise refuse to heed the warnings. Rather than trying to keep themselves and their fellow believers safe, they pack in to defend some perceived, though non-existent, attack on their faith.
The word might even be appropriately used to refer to people who know about the danger but still can’t help hanging out at a big box store…just because they can.
And it would certainly apply to all of the Facebook medical experts. You know the ones I’m talking about. They’re all over your Facebook feed and they can’t resist giving their “invaluable” take on what everyone else is doing wrong.
I stumbled across the word in The Birmingham News in an opinion piece. I can’t claim credit for coining the word.
But I can’t help but think that it fits perfectly.
The next new COVID-19 word I’d love to see enter the dictionary is covidiot.
In a word, it says it all.
