Merriam-Webster, America’s oldest dictionary publisher, has added 1,400 new words, includingglow-up, looksmaxxing, meme coin and trash panda – the affectionate nickname for raccoons.
“The new entries reflect words and meanings that have demonstrated widespread use over time, offering a window into the world today,” the publisher said in a blog post.
Other newly-added words are culinary-inspired, including superfood (foods rich in nutrients), bao (a stuffed bread bun popular in Asia), and cake pop (cake and icing on a lollipop stick).
Ahead of autumn, cuffing season has also been added, referring to the time of year when single people seek a romantic partner with whom to spend the cold months.
Some terms will already be familiar to many, such as whack-a-mole (“a situation in which a new problem appears as soon as an existing similar problem has been addressed”).
Others may be less known, such as the Mandela effect (“the experience of many people collectively having the same false memory”).
Some words are distinctly American, like the adjective California sober, which the dictionary defines as using marijuana and/or alcohol while abstaining from other drugs, like cocaine or meth.
Here are a few more of the newest additions:
* Rickroll – to prank someone into listening to Never Gonna Give You Up by English singer Rick Astley
* Uncanny valley – the creepy feeling from seeing something artificial that almost appears real
* parasocial – a one-sided emotional connection
* vibe coding – using an artificial intelligence system to generate computer code
* chili crisp – a spicy, crunchy condiment made from oil and fried bits peppers, garlic or shallots
* yacht rock – a genre of soft rock music that began in the 1970s
* neckbeard – a beard covering the chin and throat, as well as the “culture” associated with those beards, which sometimes can be a disparaging term as meaning misogynistic or a computer nerd
* shapewear – tight clothing that is designed to shape and smooth the body
* Sunday scaries – the feeling of anxiety or sadness knowing that the weekend is ending
* crashout – a dramatic ending, loss or defeat, or emotional breakdown
Merriam-Webster is also expected to name its word of the year in the next few months.
In 2025, the word slop was chosen, after its definition was expanded to include “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence”.
By BBC News
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