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Merriam-Webster just added you to the dictonary photo

Congratulations! You don't need to worry about obtaining that fifteen minutes anymore. Now you'll be famous forever with your new entry in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Well, it's not just you. It's many of us. The latest batch of new additions to the dictionary included the word "fanboy." You might be surprised to hear that Merriam-Webster has the year 1919 marked as the first use of the word. What kind of fanboys did they have then? Was it just fans of moonshine and Ford Model-T cars?

Fanboy (1919): boy who is an enthusiastic devotee, such as of comics or movies. 

I think they could have expanded on that a bit. They nailed the "comics" part, but the glaring omission of "video games" (they space it, we don't) needs to be remedied.

Other new words that may interest you include the always yummy snack edamame, the equally yummy Korean booze soju (I got tore down on this once), and the overused air quotes. I like words! Does that make me a word fanboy?

Fun note: My spell check marked all of these words wrong.

[Via Joystiq - Thanks, TrailerParkJesus]


Continue: More Fanboys stories





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25 comments | showing # 1 to 25

Surf314's Avatar
Surf314 at 07/08/2008 10:21
Except it doesn't apply to just boys.
Justice's Avatar
Justice at 07/08/2008 10:23

Now I can get off my computer from playing World of Warcraft continually for the past 2 weeks and show the 1 friend I have left (my dead cat) that this life of being a fanboy was worth it! To the library!

(Please note that Justice has never actually played WoW, and is just playing to a stereotype of a typical WoW player)
Joseph Leray's Avatar
Joseph Leray at 07/08/2008 10:26
Can we put in a wordfilter that changes it to fandude? Or fanguy? Or, fanman?

"Dale is such an Atlus fanman."
NightDehumidifier's Avatar
NightDehumidifier at 07/08/2008 10:27
Already added.

los·er
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Audio Help /ˈluzər/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[loo-zer] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a person, team, nation, etc., that loses: The visiting team was the loser in the series.
2. Informal.
a. a person who has been convicted of a misdemeanor or, esp., a felony: a two-time loser.
b. a person who has failed at a particular activity: a loser at marriage.
c. someone or something that is marked by consistently or thoroughly bad quality, performance, etc.: Don't bother to see that film, it's a real loser.
3. Slang. a misfit, esp. someone who has never or seldom been successful at a job, personal relationship, etc.
ReclusiveSpirit's Avatar
ReclusiveSpirit at 07/08/2008 10:28
@Mr. North...I think you should have used a pic of Mr. Sterling in your header. ;)
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 07/08/2008 10:30
I never understood why every games journalist/blogger suddenly felt the need in the past few years to turn "video games" into one word. It's horribly annoying and makes me feel like I should rush through saying it, like I'm embarrassed or something. Bring back the space!
ace of knaves's Avatar
ace of knaves at 07/08/2008 10:34
Alexradl's Avatar
Alexradl at 07/08/2008 10:36
Blasphemy! Nintendo does not allow headsets!

I've never really seen a hardcore "movie fanboy". Maybe it's just because I'm not really involved in the industry.
Dale North's Avatar
Dale North at 07/08/2008 10:38
Necros - Just following the dtoid styleguide. I'd like it spaced, too.
pendelton21's Avatar
pendelton21 at 07/08/2008 10:51
Didn't they also add Malware and Webinar?
falinter's Avatar
falinter at 07/08/2008 10:54
@Necros

As stupid as it is to have it one word it does make sense.

Videogames are not just games played with video. I would assume you agree that they are much more than that. And since we can't go around making up a new word for videogames (AWESOMESAUCE GAMES?!) then we shove them together to make a new word that isn't just the sum of the two words that make it.
MechaMonkey's Avatar
MechaMonkey at 07/08/2008 10:54
The term originated at baseball games in 1919, during which Cincinnati suffered from a record-breaking heat wave in late July. Crosley Field, home of the Cincinnati Reds at the time, would often give out fans to younger attendees of the game in order to help them keep cool. Radio announcers began to refer to these youngsters as fanboys.
falinter's Avatar
falinter at 07/08/2008 10:58
ALSO (cocks)

its like movies weren't movies at first. They were moving pictures which is basically what we are calling video games now. I'm sure somewhere down the line someone will come up with a streamlined way of saying video games without calling it what it is in the name.
Justice's Avatar
Justice at 07/08/2008 11:09
"I never understood why every games journalist/blogger suddenly felt the need in the past few years to turn "video games" into one word. It's horribly annoying and makes me feel like I should rush through saying it, like I'm embarrassed or something."

I can only but imagine how you pronounce it then haha.
VIDYAGAIMZ!
MechaMonkey's Avatar
MechaMonkey at 07/08/2008 11:11
By the way, I made that explanation up. Feel free to use it to lie to your friends though.
CaptainApocalypse's Avatar
CaptainApocalypse at 07/08/2008 11:44
That guy works at the Hunt Valley, Maryland Best Buy. My flatmate ran into him. He was wearing that Power Glove @ work. Priceless.
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 07/08/2008 12:43
I won't consider this article until they add the word "exy".
ToeKing's Avatar
ToeKing at 07/08/2008 12:58
The adjective "yummy" should not be used to describe soju... It is a utility beverage through and through and it's taste is bearable. The trips I've taken to Seoul were mostly spent recovering from the previous night's soju binge.
Quest's Avatar
Quest at 07/08/2008 13:19
ReclusiveSpirit at 07/08/2008 10:28

@Mr. North...I think you should have used a pic of Mr. Sterling in your header. ;)

lolllll i totally agree with you .. Sterling should be there
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 07/08/2008 13:29
@ falinter

Taking out a space is still hammering home the point that they are games played through a video medium. The message is the same, it just feels, for some reason, amateurish to try and make that into a word. As for movies, both "video games" and "movies" fit into the same category of antiquated terms, it's just that video games don't have a word like "film" to fall back on. (I still don't agree with most of the points of the one-word camp.)

@ Justice

Luckily for everyone, I only use the phrase "video games," not the word "vidyagaimesgimmiethenextwordhurryhurryhurry."
DinnertimeNinja's Avatar
DinnertimeNinja at 07/08/2008 13:52
MechaMonkey,

Well done. It's so plausible it's almost TOO plausible...

Wikipedia has probably already quoted your post as fact.
Electro Lemon's Avatar
Electro Lemon at 07/08/2008 14:45
Fuck them , BRITANNICA IS BETTER
Eschatos's Avatar
Eschatos at 07/08/2008 17:34
Seems to underestimate the true power of a fanboy.
Tet's Avatar
Tet at 07/08/2008 18:34
I don't consider that a definition of fanboy without terms like "crusader-like zeal" "extremely hostile to different things" and "dipshit" in it.
hpv's Avatar
hpv at 07/09/2008 02:01
I disagree with the premise of anything in any Merriam-Webster dictionary.
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