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Word List

The Yahoo! Word List

The Yahoo! word list covers terms related to communications, technology, branding, and other topics that our U.S. editors have encountered frequently. Following is a healthy sampling of the full Yahoo! word list. (We update the online list quarterly—see what’s new.)

These are the decisions that Yahoo! has come to after years of writing and editing for the Web. You may naturally make different choices and have different entries, but our word list can be useful as a springboard or as an additional reference.

  • wallpaper, wallpapers
    Added on October 22, 2010
  • WAN
    Acronym for wide area network. Acronym OK to use after initial explanation.
  • WAP
    Abbreviation for Wireless Application Protocol. Abbreviation OK after initial explanation.
  • Washington, D.C.
    Note the comma and periods. The abbreviation stands for District of Columbia. When space is tight, Wash. DC is an acceptable abbreviation. Washington may also be used if there is no chance it will be confused for the state of Washington.
  • Web (n., adj.)
    Note capitalization. Examples: Yahoo! Search helps you find information on the Web. Cut and paste the address into your Web browser. Most compounds formed with Web are open, such as Web beacon, Web conference, Web feed, and Web hosting. Exceptions such as webpage and website are included as separate entries in this list. [Updated to include Web beacon.]
    Updated on January 08, 2012
  • webcam
  • webcast
  • webinar
    A seminar conducted online.
  • webisode
  • weblog
    Use only when describing the origin of the word blog, which is the preferred usage.
  • webmaster
  • webpage
  • website
  • well-wishers (n.)
    Added on May 12, 2011
  • white
    Lowercase when referring to race.
  • Wi-Fi
    Short for wireless fidelity. Note capitalization and hyphen. Shortened form always OK.
  • widescreen
    Added on October 22, 2010
  • Wii
    Note capitalization and spelling of this Nintendo trademark. Do not add an s to form the plural.
  • wiki
    Lowercase. Plural: wikis.
  • winter, wintertime
    Lowercase the season name.
  • word processing (n.), word-processing (adj.)
    Two words when used as a noun, hyphenated when used as an adjective.
  • word-of-mouth (n., adj.)
    Note hyphens when used as a noun or adjective.
  • workflow
  • world phone
    Two words, lowercase. A cell phone that works on networks around the world.
  • World Wide Web
    Note capitalization.
  • worldwide (adj., adv.)
  • WWW
    All capitals. OK to use as an abbreviation for World Wide Web.
  • WYSIWYG
    Acronym for what you see is what you get. Abbreviation is always OK.

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A word list is an important part of a site’s style guide. It tracks your decisions, helps you enforce them to maintain your site’s voice and editorial standards, and keeps editors from having to make the same kinds of decisions over and over again—possibly coming to contradictory conclusions each time.
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