The Rice University Neologisms Database

open source content that can be modified by anyone. Wiki is the internet buzz word of today, outpacing google in popularity growth. Wiki is not a word applied to non-internet contexts yet, so it still remains in the internet community. Open-source is not a new concept, but Wikipedia, the open-source encyclopedia, has rebranded it. Wiki is the Xerox of open-source; the brand name has become synonymous with the product it produces. Wiki is the Hawaiian word for quick, an analogy that rings true for Wikipedia versus a traditional encyclopedia. Wikipedia’s open source model allows users to edit content and instantly update an entry with new information. Open source programs become refined by this same model, that a large, collaborative online community will constantly update and revise the mistakes of others, finally arriving the most efficient (or most accurate) content. While Wikipedia has its problems with maintaining content integrity, many people can attest to its utility and its up-to-date information. In fact, it includes many neologisms; wikipedia stays fluent with the times.