Stan Added to Merriam-Webster Dictionary Thanks to Eminem
Two years after being added to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word Stan, popularized by Eminem on his 2000 song of the same name, is now in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
On Tuesday (April 23), the folks at Merriam-Webster announced that they had added 640 new words to their database, including Stan as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, Stan means "an extremely or excessively enthusiastic and devoted fan." As a verb, it means, “to exhibit fandom to an extreme or excessive degree: to be an extremely devoted and enthusiastic fan of someone or something.”
The term is being described as slang that is often used in a disparaging way. It's history and etymology are obviously tied to Em's song. On the track, Em raps from the perspective of an obsessed fan who is upset over the Detroit rhymer not responding to his letters addressed to him. The imitative Stan eventually kills his pregnant girlfriend out of frustration to which Em eventually responds, but it's too late.
Nineteen years after its release, “Stan,” which appears on Em’s classic 2000 album, the Marshall Mathers LP, is one of Eminem's most popular songs. Clearly, it's made a huge impact on the culture.
You can watch Eminem's "Stan" video below.
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