As slang finds its way into lexical institutions, experts ponder its place on the internet.PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: KEVIN VAN AELST/NYTIMES

The slow decline of Urban Dictionary

· The Straits Times

There was a time when Urban Dictionary felt essential. Twenty-six years ago, when then first-year college student Aaron Peckham founded the lo-fi website, internet lingo was making its way into the mainstream faster than the slang of any earlier, offline communities.

Users submitted their own comprehensive definitions and colourful example sentences.