The president and the word "ceasefire"

It’s not easy writing and editing dictionaries. As the world changes so does the vernacular. Besides introducing new words that come along, there is a core responsibility of the lexicographer to revise existing words that have taken on new or expanded meanings.

The profession certainly must have its challenges. Take the word “ceasefire.” We can all agree that it means a temporary pause in hostilities between warring factions. Yet, for quite some time, the president — a high-profile influencer because of his communication skills and bully pulpit — has implied that there can be a ceasefire even...