UrbanDictionary - Words Defined by Average People

UrbanDictionary is another web service which truly illustrates the power behind user generated content. By giving power to users this website managed to build a practical words reference and entertainment platform, as Digg (profile) did with news, del.icio.us (profile) with bookmarks and Wikipedia (profile) with content. This website can actually be thought as a little funny sibling of wikipedia.

UrbanDictionary is quite popular website where users are able to to provide their own definitions for words. Terms are not limited to standard english language words but also any kind of sayings, comments, slangs and jargons that are used by people. After being online for a while it produced huge database with original, unique and in some cases funny and yet practical definitions. For instance, term porsche has several definitions 3 of which are:

• A sports car company created in 1948 by Ferdinand Porsche.
• the car that nobody needs, but everybody wants
• “Porsche…. It’s a little too small to get laid IN…. But you get laid, the minute you get OUT.”

Below I have included some links to some user defined terms:

• George Bush
• Money
• Mercedes
• College
• Paris Hilton
• Dating

Anyone can a define word on UrbanDictionary, in addition to definitions users can also submit pictures and sounds. Users may also vote on the existing definitions giving them thumbs up (+1) or down (-1). These points determine the way multiple definitions for a partcular term are ranked. Each definition can be easily emailed to friends. Also when presented with a particular term users can see other terms that were indicated as relevant by other users.

To sum up this is a nice webiste with a user generated content. People with slight sense of humor will love it.