Did you ever think you’ll find words like “fanboy,” “pretexting” or “pescatarian” in the dictionary any time soon? Well, for you, and even for those who’ve never heard of them but probably will sooner or later, Merriam-Webster added over 100 new entries to its annual update of Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition.

The new set of words covers multiple domains, from culinary arts to virology and technology. As John Morse, Merriam-Webster’s president and publisher explained, some entries, such as webinar, show an ongoing trend for electronic technologies to add new words to the language, while other words, such as norovirus, are just something the public may need to know about.

These 100 entries are just a few examples of how our language changes or borrows words from other languages, naturalizing them. From “prosecco” (an Italian wine) to “soju” (Korean vodka distilled from rice), “edamame” (immature green soybeans) and “pescatarian” (a vegetarian whose diet includes fish), the new, improved online dictionary comes to reflect these changes.

We must not forget about those words or phrases that result from mishearing of something. Called “mondegreens,” these “new words” are something we are likely to encounter on a day to day basis, and this is why Merriam-Webster OnLine decided to give the public a chance to add some of these “mondegreens” until the 25th of July. The favorite picks will make the online list on the week beginning July 28th.

All new dictionary entries, which are now available online, will also appear in the 2008 print update of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, which will be available for purchase across the United States starting with September 1st, 2008.