'White-van man' is now a part of the English language

The publishers monitor television, radio, newspapers and magazines to establish which words have become part of the English language and are used in every day conversations.

Fashionists (people who look forward to fashion shows) will be included in the new edition, as will shrug (close fitting woman's cardigan), carpenter trousers (multi-pocketed trousers with loops for tools) and buzz-cut (today's answer to the crew-cut).

Editor of the new dictionary Catherine Soanes said fashion and beauty had always been major contributors to the English language.

"Many hundreds of words for types of garment are already in the complete record of the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary, and the trend is continuing."

'Sticky' and 'screenager'

The information and technology world also has a number of new entries, including meatspace (physical world, as opposed to virtual), screenager (Internet or computer addicted teenager) and sticky (website attracting long or repeated visits from users).

More unusual words that have warranted a place include gaydar (ability of one gay person to recognise another) and lookism (discrimination on the grounds of how a person looks and the clothes they wear).

But the word Blairism - derived from the Prime Minister Tony Blair - has not been included.

The dictionary's editors said the word must pass the test of time and cannot just be a passing fashion.

Not all words have stood that test and the fashion world seems particularly badly affected.

There are no longer inclusions for directoires (long knickers) and hug-me-tight (1860s woman's close-fitting jacket).

The Oxford University Press dictionary will be published on 14 August.