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Wiki makes a name for itself in the OED
From Wiktionary to online dictionary...

By Reuters

Published: Friday 16 March 2007

Wiki-based online dictionaries have been around for several years but 'wiki' the word has only just made it into the latest edition of the online Oxford English Dictionary (OED), along with 287 other new words.

OED chief editor John Simpson said in a statement: "Words are included in the dictionary on the basis of the documentary evidence that we have collected about them. Awhile ago, this evidence suggested that 'wiki' was starting to make a name for itself."

He added: "We tracked it for several years, researched its origins and finally decided it was time to include it in the dictionary."

The OED defines 'wiki' as a type of web page designed so its contents can be edited by anyone who accesses it.

The fact the word acquired a new meaning can be attributed to the increased speed of commenting and editing on internet websites, the OED's principal editor of new words, Graeme Diamond said.

He added: "There was no delay in submitting a comment."

The word 'wiki' is derived from "Wiki Wiki", meaning "quick" in Hawaiian.


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