Thanks to the new Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, the word fanboy is now officially a member of the English language…
Here’s the official definition, as found in the Collegiate Dictionary, along with the year when Merriam-Webster first saw its unofficial usage. You’ll never guess how old it is!
“Fanboy n. (1919): [a] boy who is an enthusiastic devotee, such as of comics or movies.” Or video game consoles, *cough, cough*
That’s right, readers. Back in the day there were Ford Model T fanboys, among many others throughout the years.
John just mentioned this in his Tech5 podcast; but, I like to fell apart over how long the word has been around.
Ford fanboys!
It’s even older than that! I’m pretty sure Cleopatra had a fanboy or two on those hot summer days on the Nile. 😉
Is ‘fanboy’ a unisex word or did they also add ‘fangirl’ to the dictionary? I checked and I didn’t find fangirl.
Does this mean only males own Apples?
It certainly seems like Merriam-Webster isn’t being Politically Correct.
No, Cinaedh, in a few years the term will become politically correct. These overenthusiastic followers will come to be known as ‘fanpersons’.
H’m,
does this mean that Dvorak was around in 1919?
The law of the hammer states that “give a child a hammer, and pretty soon the whole world looks like a nail” and its variants.
“Fanboy,” having just joined the definitionally adroit dictionary elite will become the new hammer.
Whoops! It has already happened. Note the number of times this *new* word has made its way into stories and headlines since the Mirriam-Webster announcement. Especially in this blog…