--- title: Merriam-Webster Adds 'Cryptocurrency,' 'Antifa' Definitions description: The Springfield, Mass.-based publisher added hundreds of new words on Monday canonical: https://time.com/5185900/cryptocurrency-definition/ author: Katy Steinmetz article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-03-05T16:49:57.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:51:07.554Z og:title: 'Cryptocurrency' and 'Dumpster Fire' Were Officially Added to the Dictionary og:description: So were 'mansplain,' 'blockchain' and 'glamping' og:url: https://time.com/5185900/cryptocurrency-definition/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf08f680e99911dd4/6989292f7cdbac6929d5c20f/180301-bitcoin-future.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4000 og:image:height: 2250 og:image:alt: 180301-bitcoin-future og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 'Cryptocurrency' and 'Dumpster Fire' Were Officially Added to the Dictionary twitter:description: So were 'mansplain,' 'blockchain' and 'glamping' twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf08f680e99911dd4/6989292f7cdbac6929d5c20f/180301-bitcoin-future.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 'Cryptocurrency' and 'Dumpster Fire' Were Officially Added to the Dictionary > Sponsored content. 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The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. by [Katy Steinmetz](https://time.com/author/katy-steinmetz/) ## Katy Steinmetz Mar 5, 2018 4:49 PM UTC  Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg—Getty Images by [Katy Steinmetz](https://time.com/author/katy-steinmetz/) ## Katy Steinmetz Mar 5, 2018 4:49 PM UTC The [cryptocurrency craze](http://time.com/5161663/bitcoin-sting-jason-klein-crypto-irs-money-transmitter/) has gotten big enough that a major dictionary is weighing in. Among the hundreds of new words and definitions [added](https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/new-words-in-the-dictionary-march-2018) to Merriam-Webster’s ranks on Monday were several related to these digital tokens, along with many other terms that reflect the current obsessions of English-speakers (_See_: [kombucha](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kombucha)). The additions related to crypto — a slang word that many use to refer to cryptocurrencies — signal how much confusion there is around how this budding branch of finance works. As the values of many coins have exploded in recent years, average Americans have been seeking out information about cryptocurrencies themselves, as well as coin “offerings” and the underlying blockchain technology. It’s complicated, and some of the definitions from Merriam-Webster are, accordingly, a mouthful. **cryptocurrency (n.)**: any form of currency that only exists digitally, that usually has no central issuing or regulating authority but instead uses a decentralized system to record transactions and manage the issuance of new units, and that relies on [cryptography](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cryptography) to prevent counterfeiting and fraudulent transactions **initial coin offering (n.)**: the first sale of a cryptocurrency to the public conducted for the purpose of raising funds (as to support a start-up) **blockchain (n.)**: a digital database containing information (such as records of financial transactions) that can be simultaneously used and shared within a large decentralized, publicly accessible network; also: the technology used to create such a database No doubt some will quibble with these summaries, given that the language used to talk about crypto is still very much [debated](https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract%5Fid=2940335). But the definitions are a starting point. Here is a selection of other words that the Springfield, Mass.-based dictionary has now defined. **antifa (n.)**: a person or group actively opposing fascism or an anti-fascist movement (_Read a more in-depth explanation on Antifa from TIME_ [_here_](http://time.com/4899658/charlottesville-antifa-protests/).) **Bitcoin (n.):** a digital currency created for use in peer-to-peer online transactions **dumpster fire (n., informal)**: an utterly calamitous or mismanaged situation or occurrence **glamping (n.):** outdoor camping with amenities and comforts (such as beds, electricity, and access to indoor plumbing) not usually used when camping **hate-watch (v.):** to watch and take pleasure in laughing at or criticizing (a disliked television show, movie, etc.) **kombucha (n.)**: a gelatinous mass of symbiotic bacteria and yeasts grown to produce a fermented beverage held to confer health benefits **mansplain (v.):** to explain something to a woman in a condescending way that assumes she has no knowledge about the topic **subtweet (n.)**: a usually mocking or critical tweet that alludes to another Twitter user without including a link to the user’s account and often without directly mentioning the user’s name **unicorn (n.):** a start-up that is valued at one billion dollars or more **Yorkie-poo (n.)**: a dog that is a cross between a Yorkshire terrier and a poodle and especially a miniature or toy poodle ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5185900/cryptocurrency-definition/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5185900/cryptocurrency-definition/"},"headline":"'Cryptocurrency' and 'Dumpster Fire' Were Officially Added to the Dictionary","datePublished":"2018-03-05T16:49:57.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:51:07.554Z","description":"So were 'mansplain,' 'blockchain' and 'glamping'","url":"https://time.com/5185900/cryptocurrency-definition/","keywords":["Newsfeed","language","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf08f680e99911dd4/6989292f7cdbac6929d5c20f/180301-bitcoin-future.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Katy Steinmetz","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/katy-steinmetz/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf08f680e99911dd4/6989292f7cdbac6929d5c20f/180301-bitcoin-future.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"180301-bitcoin-future","caption":"180301-bitcoin-future","creditText":"Luke MacGregor/Bloomberg—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5185900/cryptocurrency-definition/","name":"'Cryptocurrency' and 'Dumpster Fire' Were Officially Added to the Dictionary"}}]}] ```