The words “skibidi,” “delulu”, and “tradwife” are coming to a dictionary near you.
These are among the latest Cambridge Dictionary additions of more than 6,000 new words and phrases over the past year, the publisher of the world’s largest online dictionary said on Monday.
These new inductions into the dictionary reflect how shifting online culture impacts everyday speech.
‘Internet culture changing English language’
Among the new entries are Gen Z and Gen Alpha terms such as “skibidi,” a nonsense word popularized by the viral YouTube series Skibidi Toilet, “delulu,” short for delusional, and “tradwife,” which describes women who embrace traditional gender roles on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
Other additions include “lewk,” a distinctive fashion look; “inspo,” short for inspiration; and “mouse jiggler,” which implies someone pretending to labor while working remotely.
Rising environmental concerns led to the inclusion of “forever chemicals, ” which refer to man-made substances that stay in the environment for years.
Colin McIntosh, Lexical Programme manager at the Cambridge Dictionary, told AFP news agency that it is unusual to see words like “skibidi” and “delulu” make their entry into the dictionary.
“We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power,” he said. “Internet culture is changing the English language, and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary.”
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
