Surfing: the word 'macking' earned a spot on the Oxford English Dictionary | Photo: Kirstin/WSL

There are new surf-related terms and expressions in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).

The OED is one of the oldest English dictionaries. It was published for the first time in 1884, and it is considered by many specialists to be the most trusted English language dictionary in the world.

The Oxford English Dictionary is not a closed book - it gets constant updates.

Recently, surf historian Matt Warshaw was hired as an external consultant to the OED. His job is to find relevant surf-specific additions to the long vocabulary list.

Warshaw is the author of "The Encyclopedia of Surfing," "The History of Surfing," "Photo/Stoner," and "Surf Movie Tonite!" He was born in Los Angeles in 1960.

The December 2016 update adds popular surf lingo to the OED - shaka and paddleboarding, for example - but also includes an extensive list of surf-inspired sub-entries and senses.

They are:

New OED Words

  • close out, n.
  • cross-step, n.
  • cross-step, v.
  • cross-stepping, n.
  • da kine, n.
  • grom, n.
  • macking, adj.
  • paddleboarding, n.
  • rag-doll, v.
  • shaka, int. and n.
  • tombstone, v.

New OED Sub-Entries

  • beach cruiser
  • board rider
  • board shaper
  • dawn patrol
  • duck dive
  • duck-dive
  • duck-diving
  • impact zone
  • shortboard revolution
  • single-fin
  • squaretail
  • stand-up paddle surfing
  • SUP
  • SUPing
  • to close out
  • tow-in
  • tow-in surfer
  • tow-in surfing
  • turtle roll
  • twin-fin

New OED Senses

  • barrel, n.
  • barrel, v.
  • bomb, n.
  • break, n.1
  • fin, n.1
  • floater, n.
  • hold-down, n.
  • line-up, n.
  • shape, v.
  • shaper, n.
  • snake, v.1
  • swallow-tail | swallowtail, n.
  • walled, adj.1

Want to learn more surf lingo? Explore the glossary of surfing terms and expressions.

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