Writing: Word List
These words can be slippery. Here’s how we write them.
- API (not api)
- back end (noun), back-end (adjective)
- beta
- blockchain (never hyphenate, never capitalise unless it begins a sentence, never preceded by "the")
- double-click
- drop-down (noun, adjective), drop down (verb)
- e-commerce (the industry)
- email (never hyphenate, never capitalise unless it begins a sentence)
- emoji (singular and plural)
- front end (noun), front-end (adjective)
- geolocation
- hashtag
- homepage
- internet (never capitalise unless it begins a sentence)
- login (noun, adjective), log in (verb)
- OK
- online (never capitalise unless it begins a sentence)
- opt-in (noun, adjective) , opt in (verb)
- pop-up (noun, adjective), pop up (verb)
- signup (noun, adjective), sign up (verb)
- startup (not start-up or start up)
- sync
- tweet, retweet
- username
- URL
- website
WiFi
Machine learning
- Artificial Intelligence
- Design Thinking
- Lean Startup
- Agile or agile
Words to avoid
- funnel, incentivise, leverage, disruption, thought leader, touch base, game changer, no brainer, bandwidth, going forward, drill down, close of business, end of play or other fluffy corporate terms
- internets, interwebs, or any other variation of the word “internet”
- ninja, rockstar, wizard, unicorn (unless referring to a literal ninja, rockstar, wizard, or unicorn)
- young, old, elderly, or any other word describing a person's age
- crushing it, killing it
- crazy, insane, or similar words to describe people