It’s always fun to learn what new words the Oxford-English Dictionary adds to the lexicon each year. With web dictionaries and online resources more popular than traditional ones these days, most of the new terms are technology or Internet based. Surprisingly, in 2010, the historic World Cup inspired the English language with the brand new word that was on everyone’s lips  literally vuvuzela.

Pronouncedvoo-voo-ZE-la, the term refers to the long, plastic horns fans voraciously blew during each and every World Cup match, from the first round up until Spain’s final victory in July 2010. The horn now-famous as buzzing bee sound combined with the frenzy of the biggest event in sports made the noise maker with a funny name household fodder.

The sound even went viral, with soccer fans sending each other borderline-annoying sound bites over their computers and music players, allowing the vuvuzela to sweep not only the sports world, but the technological one as well. Along the lines of the “dancing hamsters from years ago, the vuvuzela sound is grating, ear-pinching, yet surprisingly catchy.

Every celebrity and news anchor, from soccer stars and even Today Show hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb were seen (and heard!) loudly blowing vuvuzelas, both on air and off. Landon Donavan, star mid-fielder for the Los Angeles Galaxy and history-making USA goal scorer in the 2010 World Cup, even commented on how noisy the horns were during game time. The plastic horns even became a favorite child’s toy for the entire summer, selling out on America’s boardwalks and in amusement parks.

With the booming popularity of the vuvuzela, it’s no surprise that the actual word finally made its way into the English language officially, in 2010. For the sake of everyone’s ears, though, let’s hope the noisybuzz sound won’t ensure quite as long as the word itself!