10 surprising words that have been added to the dictionary this year
- The Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster add new words every year.
- This year, the OED added "influencer," "side hustle," and "pumpkin spice."
- Merriam Webster added "yeet," "subvariant," and "Galentine's Day" to the English language.
The Oxford English Dictionary added the word "influencer" this year.
Influencer (noun): A well-known or prominent person who uses the internet or social media to promote or generate interest in products, often for payment.
The OED also added "side hustle."
Side hustle (noun): (originally in African-American usage) a part-time job or occupation undertaken in addition to one's main job in order to earn extra income.
"Pumpkin spice" made the cut.
Pumpkin spice (noun): A mixture of ground spices (typically including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves) originally used as an ingredient in pumpkin pie filling, and now added as a flavouring to a variety of food items. Also: a mixture of artificial ingredients designed to imitate the taste or smell of pumpkin spice.
As did "TERF," an acronym for "trans-exclusionary radical feminist."
TERF (noun): Trans-exclusionary radical feminist. A feminist whose advocacy of women's rights excludes (or is thought to exclude) the rights of transgender women. Also more generally: a person whose views on gender identity are (or are considered) hostile to transgender people, or who opposes social and political policies designed to be inclusive of transgender people.
"Enby," a colloquial word for "nonbinary," was added.
Enby (noun and adjective): A person who has a non-binary gender identity.
With the addition of "second gentleman" last year came the addition of "first gentleman" to the OED in 2022.
First gentleman (noun): the husband or male partner of a president or other leader.
The slang word "yeet" became official, according to Merriam-Webster.
Yeet (interjection, slang): used to express surprise, approval, or excited enthusiasm. Verb: to throw especially with force and without regard for the thing being thrown.
Merriam-Webster added the word "dumbphone" this year.
Dumbphone (noun): a cell phone that does not include advanced software features (such as email or an internet browser) typically found on smartphones.
Merriam-Webster also added "subvariant."
Subvariant (noun): one of two or more distinctive forms or types of the same variant.
"Galentine's Day" is now a real holiday.
Galentine's Day (noun): a holiday observed on February 13th as a time to celebrate friendships especially among women.