“Rona” Added To The Dictionary

"Rona" Added To The Dictionary 

It seems every few years, new slang words are added to the dictionary. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Dictionary.Com has added "Rona" to the dictionary.

Personally, I'm thankful because I can now say Rona casually knowing it's officially in the dictionary lol. Other new words added included Novel Coronavirus, Shelter In Place, and COVID-19. Check out the full list of newly added words according to PRNewsWire below.

• COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019: a potentially severe respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus and characterized by fever, coughing, and shortness of breath.
• fomites: inanimate objects whose surfaces can become contaminated with pathogens when touched by the carrier of an infection and can then transmit the pathogens to those who next touch the surfaces.
• germaphobe: a person who has an irrational or disproportionate fear of germs and contamination.
• hunker down: to settle in to the safety of one's home or other designated shelter for a potentially prolonged time, as would be necessitated by a natural disaster or an outbreak of a contagious disease.
• novel coronavirus: a coronavirus that has not previously been detected or reported.
• price gouging: an act or instance of charging customers too high a price for goods or services, especially when demand is high and supplies are limited.
• profiteering: the act or practice of seeking exorbitant profits, especially through the sale of scarce or rationed goods.
• rona: Slang. COVID-19.
• shelter in place: (noun) an official order, issued during an emergency, that directs people to stay in the indoor place or building that they already occupy and not to leave unless absolutely necessary. (verb) to stay in a safe indoor place or building during an emergency.

It seems that hunker down, price gouging, and germaphobe should have been in the dictionary years ago. With the threat of severe weather and other natural disasters, hunker down and price gouging are common terms heard during those times. Germaphobe is one of those words that folks have been using forever, but it seems it took COVID-19 for it to be officially added.

(Source) To read the full story on PRNewsWire click here.