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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,194
30,135



sheep-250x224.png
Merriam-Webster recently announced that it has added "sheeple" to its dictionary, an informal word that it defines as "people who are docile, compliant, or easily influenced" and thereby "likened to sheep."

The first example of the word in a sentence is pretty unremarkable...
James Nichols, who ran the family farm here, stamped dollar bills with red ink in protest against currency and told his neighbors that they were "sheeple" for obeying authority like livestock. -- Sara Rimer and James Bennet
...but then there's this:
Apple's debuted a battery case for the juice-sucking iPhone--an ungainly lumpy case the sheeple will happily shell out $99 for. -- Doug Criss
Merriam-Webster, which dates back to 1843, says the first usage of the word "sheeple" was in 1945, long before the advent of the Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple as a company altogether. For what it's worth, the word's popularity apparently falls within the bottom 10 percent of its dictionary.
Wake up!'Sheeple' is in the dictionary now. https://t.co/pbXVADEoBm - Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) April 27, 2017

Sadly, this is not the Onion.

Article Link: Merriam-Webster Adds 'Sheeple' to Dictionary and Lists Apple Users as Example
 

sterlingindigo

macrumors 6502
Dec 7, 2007
430
156
East Lansing



sheep-250x224.png
Merriam-Webster recently announced that it has added "sheeple" to its dictionary, an informal word that it defines as "people who are docile, compliant, or easily influenced" and thereby "likened to sheep."

The first example of the word in a sentence is pretty unremarkable......but then there's this:Merriam-Webster, which dates back to 1843, says the first usage of the word "sheeple" was in 1945, long before the advent of the Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and Apple as a company altogether. For what it's worth, the word's popularity apparently falls within the bottom 10 percent of its dictionary.

Sadly, this is not the Onion.

Article Link: Merriam-Webster Adds 'Sheeple' to Dictionary and Lists Apple Users as Example

Aww...screw them lol
 

justperry

macrumors G5
Aug 10, 2007
12,553
9,745
I'm a rolling stone.
Just nonsense, I bet Apple doesn't sell many of those ugly battery cases.
I for one haven't seen one ever, nobody wants this except a few who don't have acces to a power outlet for longer than a day, and even then there are cheaper and better alternatives which also look better, or an external one.
 
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Porco

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2005
3,314
6,908
Dictionaries reflect the usage of words and provide examples of how they are used, it doesn't mean the writers of the dictionary agree with the sentiment behind them when they are pejorative or insulting. I'm sure we could all think of many such words that are in many dictionaries that are both insulting and often used unfairly and offensively, but we couldn't argue they are aren't in fact used in the way the examples provided claim.
 

Rainshadow

macrumors 6502a
Feb 16, 2017
616
1,348
Perhaps I am a Sheeple... I have NOT bought one of those cases and had originally made fun of them, however...

I ran into someone who was using one and asked to see it. I was very surprised and actually impressed. The quality felt great, it was balanced and the guy said he got days out of the device with the case. I considered buying one until I found out they were that expensive.

Maybe I am not a purebred sheeple...
 

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,302
Vernacular term enters dictionary? Unremarkable.

But to cite the purchase of a $99 battery case as opposed to, say, people who refuse to return an exploding phone? ;)

There are certainly better examples out there to describe the word; and ironically enough, many of those examples are still in Apple's ecosystem. Just a cheap shot that didn't seem particularly well thought out. :p
 

Porco

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2005
3,314
6,908
This is probably one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen. Who the hell do they think they are?

I don't like or agree with the term, but 'one of the most disgusting things you have ever seen' though? Really? They are using an example of how the term is used. It's a dictionary, not an opinion piece!

Personally I struggle to think of an example other than Apple users to which the term has been used as much in recent memory. That doesn't mean I like or agree with the term being used, but it's a reasonable example to use, I think.

Every company has sheep. Every artist has sheep. Apple's haters are just the most vocal ;)

They could've used a better example tho.

Sorry to ram home the point, but are ewe saying it's a baAaAad example? ;)
 
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