Rejoice! Oxford English Dictionary Adds ‘Masshole’

This is a good thing, right?

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My fellow Massholes, we’ve finally arrived.

The Oxford English Dictionary, the authoritative book on the English language, has included “Masshole” in its list of 500 new words to be officially added to its pages. The derogatory(?) word for Bay Staters received the following definition from Oxford:

Masshole, n. A term of contempt for: a native or inhabitant of the state of Massachusetts. Language: U.S. coarse slang. Etymology: Blend of the name of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and asshole

The dictionary says the word’s origins go back to the 1980s, citing British journalist Matt Ridley’s usage of the word in his account of the 1988 presidential election, Warts and All. The 1988 campaign, as some of you may recall, featured former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis at the top of the Democratic ticket.

A 1996 Boston Globe article on drivers was another cited source for “Masshole.”