Well, it only took 17 years. “Stan,†a word originally coined by Eminem’s 2000 single about a fan desperate to take the rapper’s every word literally, has now been added to the Oxford American Dictionary. The word’s official definition: “An overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity,†and the dictionary cites Eminem’s song as the origin. Stan, as anyone who has used the internet before knows, can be used as a noun or a verb (example: “We stan for Carly Rae Jepsen“). Congratulations to the Beyhive, Rihanna Navy, Pine Nuts, Beliebers, and Barbz alike — a dictionary now recognizes your level of devotion.
Dear Slim, Stan Has Now Been Added to the Dictionary
