Each day most Merriam-Webster editors devote an hour or two to reading a cross section of published material, including books, newspapers, magazines, and electronic publications; in our office this activity is called "reading and marking." The editors scour the texts in search of new words, new usages of existing words, variant spellings, and inflected forms–in short, anything that might help in deciding if a word belongs in the dictionary, understanding what it means, and determining typical usage. Any word of interest is marked, along with surrounding context that offers insight into its form and use.
Related posts:
Reading and marking: Nearshoring. (1/29/2025)
Reading and marking the G. & C. Merriam way. (6/19/2021)
Reading and marking: Swatting. (3/21/2015)
