Ten new words to add to your dictionary

Twerking, the raunchy dance performed by Miley Cyrus at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, is among a rake of new words included in an update of the Oxford dictionary.

It is one of 10 that we cover below.

1 :: Twerk, v.: dance to popular music in a sexually provocative manner involving thrusting hip movements and a low, squatting stance.

Clip via VMAs 2013 Miley Cyrus on YouTube.

The move, included in the latest revision of Oxford Dictionaries Online has apparently been around for 20 years in the hip-hop scene in the States.

Katherine Connor Martin, from Oxford Dictionaries Online, said: "There are many theories about the origin of this word. We think the most likely theory is that it is an alteration of work.

(No, really?)

She went on: "The current public reaction to twerking is reminiscent in some ways of how the twisting craze was regarded in the early 1960s, when it was first popularised by Chubby Checker’s song, the Twist."

Obviously the bear behind Miley has had a good twerk-out. Pic: PA.

Technology, as usual, has provided a large number of new words including "selfie", "digital detox", "Bitcoin", "click and collect" and "hackerspace".

2 :: Selfie, n. (informal): a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website.

3 :: Bitcoin, n.: a digital currency in which transactions can be performed without the need for a central bank.

4 :: Digital detox, n.: a period of time during which a person refrains from using electronic devices such as smartphones or computers, regarded as an opportunity to reduce stress or focus on social interaction in the physical world.

5 :: Click and collect, n.: a shopping facility whereby a customer can buy or order goods from a store’s website and collect them from a local branch.

6 :: Hackerspace, n.: a place in which people with an interest in computing or technology can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge.

The quarterly update for the site also includes words from the worlds of food and drink and fashion.

7 :: Food baby, n.: a protruding stomach caused by eating a large quantity of food and supposedly resembling that of a woman in the early stages of pregnancy.

In Ireland, we'd call it a beer belly.

8 :: Street food, n.: prepared or cooked food sold by vendors in a street or other public location for immediate consumption.

9 :: Double denim, n.: a style of dress in which a denim jacket or shirt is worn with a pair of jeans or a denim skirt, often regarded as a breach of fashion etiquette.

(Ahem…quietly hides away denim jacket and wipes sweaty palms on jeans before moving on.)

10 :: Geek chic, n.: the dress, appearance, and culture associated with computing and technology enthusiasts, regarded as stylish or fashionable.