Some may believe that the dictionaries have primarily been stagnant entities. This perceived rigidity has not been the case, however, and many words commonly used today have had a multitude of previous meanings.

Apple… more than a fruit? 

The dictionary definition of the word “apple” has changed drastically over the years, reflecting the fluidity of language and the need for dictionaries to change with the evolving language (Parshall 1).

In 1800, it meant a horse dropping. ~stinky~

In 1887, it was used to mean a person.

In 1915, apple meant a saddle horn.

In 1910, it could be defined as a baseball. “Hey, Dad! Grab an apple. I want to play catch.”

In 1980, apple could mean a basketball. “Let’s shoot the apple around!”

In 1966, it even could mean a “soft, billed cap” (Parshall 2).

Big Changes

The different entries in dictionaries, including the word ‘big,’ also demonstrate the rapidly evolving nature of the dictionary (Parshall 2). The dictionary will unavoidably be influenced by the public’s changing use of language.

There has been the Big Apple, meaning New York (1909),

Big Wind, referring to Chicago (1944),

Big Board, meaning the New York Stock Exchange (1934),

Big Ditch or the Erie Canal (1825),

Big house, meaning a prison (1913),

Big Pond, referring to the Atlantic Ocean (1833),

and big nickel, meaning $500 or $5,000 (1929). (Parshall 2).

A Nice, Silly Change

The words ‘nice’ and ‘silly’ have drastically different meanings now than they once did. Dictionaries have updated their definitions for these words, demonstrating the continuous evolution of language brought about by usage, not the dictionary-makers.

‘Nice’ originally meant “silly, foolish, simple” (TED Guest Author 1), and dictionaries used to define the word ‘silly’  as “worthy or blessed” (TED Guest Author 1).