verbicide (VUR-buh-syd) noun
1. The willful distortion or depreciation of the original meaning of a word.
2. A person who willfully distorts the meaning of a word.
[Latin verb(um) word -i- cide killer, killing.]
Killing words. That brings to mind a vivid image, doesn't it? That's why I like this word so much. You get an immediate sense of what it means: murdering words.
Not literally, of course. Often when I see the blood red ink my critique partners leave on my manuscripts I feel they might be committing verbicide. But clearly they're not, since verbicide means willfully distorting the meaning of words...
The way teenagers (and many adults) use the word "like" to pepper their sentences is no doubt a form of verbicide.
I suppose slang could be considered a form of verbicide. It sounds like fun to take old, boring words and infuse them with new life and meaning. When it's put that way, verbicide doesn't sound as much like a crime.
Here are some victims of verbicide through slang:
Props - instead of a means of support it now can mean respect or recognition. "I have to give her props for losing ten pounds."
Sick - refers to someone ill or someone possessing incredible talent. "That bass player is sick!"
Blaze - once just a raging fire now it can mean to leave quickly. "My favorite show is about to come on, I have to blaze."