Oxford Dictionaries online adds 'twerk'

The Oxford Dictionaries online on Wednesday announced its annual additions to its tome. Miley Cyrus might be glad to hear that “twerking” made the cut.

“Selfie,” “bitcoin” and“srsly” are also on the list.

As are the dessert on a stick “cake pop” and “babymoon.” They are now officially things.

Also, "buzzworthy" is in. So are "jorts" (denim shorts), "double denim" (wearing denim on denim, regarded as a breach of fashion etiquette) and "squee" (to exclaim with delight).

The term "twerking" seems especially well-timed, but it's not new, OED spokeswoman Katherine Connor Martin told Reuters.

It's described as "a dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance."

"The current public reaction to twerking is reminiscent in some ways of how the twisting craze was regarded in the early 1960s, when it was first popularized by Chubby Checker's song 'The Twist,'" said Connor Martin.

"Only time will tell if twerking will similarly be embraced by the general public," she added.

As the OED explains in a blog post, “The additions may have only just entered the dictionary, but we’ve been watching them for a while now, tracking how and where they are used. Two of the words to make their debut in the dictionary, selfie and phablet both featured on our Words on the radar post back in June 2012.”

Here are some of the new words and their definitions. Study up, there might be a pop quiz soon. Srsly.

babymoon, n. (informal): a relaxing or romantic holiday taken by parents-to-be before their baby is born; a period of time following the birth of a baby during which the new parents can focus on establishing a bond with their child.

bitcoin, n.: a digital currency in which transactions can be performed without the need for a central bank.

buzzworthy, adj. (informal): likely to arouse the interest and attention of the public, either by media coverage or word of mouth.

cake pop, n.: a small round piece of cake coated with icing or chocolate and fixed on the end of a stick so as to resemble a lollipop.

double denim, n.: a style of dress in which a denim jacket or shirt is worn with a pair of jeans or a denim skirt, often regarded as a breach of fashion etiquette.

jorts, pl. n.: denim shorts.

selfie, n. (informal): a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.

squee, exclam. & v. & n. (informal): (used to express) great delight or excitement.

srsly, adv. (informal): short for ‘seriously’.

twerk, v.: dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance.