The New Oxford American Dictionary has named “unfriend” - which means deleting a ‘friend’ on a social networking site such as Facebook - as its 2009 Word of the Year.

“In the online social networking context, its meaning is understood, so its adoption as a modern verb form makes this an interesting choice for Word of the Year.

“Unfriending” someone on a social networking platform is ultra passive aggressive.  I prefer to just sleep with the assholes significant other.  Nothing says “lose my telephone number” like playing hide the Capricola with his Mrs. Draper.  In the case of “unfriending” a woman, you could always knock her up and skip town.  I’m making my case for “weblock” as 2010 word of the year.  The definition–having a bastard kid as a ways of terminating internet relationships.

Hit the jump for the other 2009 word of the year nominees:

Other Word of the Year finalists

Hashtag - a # sign added to a word or phrase that enables Twitter users to search for tweets that contain similarly tagged items and view thematic sets

Intexticated - distracted because texting on a cellphone while driving a vehicle

Sexting - the sending of sexually explicit texts and pictures by cellphone

Freemium - a business model in which some basic services are provided for free, with the aim of enticing users to pay for additional, premium features or content

Funemployed - taking advantage of one’s newly unemployed status to have fun or pursue other interests

Birther - a conspiracy theorist who challenges President Obama’s US birth certificate

Teabagger - a person who protests President Obama’s tax policies and stimulus package, often through local demonstrations known as “Tea Party” protests (in allusion to the Boston Tea Party of 1773).

Deleb - a dead celebrity

Tramp stamp - a tattoo on the lower back, usually on a woman