Neologisms

A movement to help people reimagine life without constant digital connection, launched by Harvard alumna Gabriela Nguyen. Read more here.

Mælkebøttebarn (Danish), in English 'dandelion child', composed of 'mælkebøtte' and 'barn'. It appeared in the Danish language around 1986 and has equivalents in Norwegian and Swedish. It refers to children who manage [Read More ...]

It describes the tactic of reducing a product size (grammatura = the amount in grams, marked by a privative -s prefix) while keeping the same price, effectively resulting in hidden inflation. Read [Read More ...]

A "lore drop" refers to the sudden revealing or sharing of personal, often dramatic, unexpected, or intimate details about one's life story on social media. Popularized on TikTok, it involves creators sharing [Read More ...]

Created by our colleague, Miguel Sánchez Ibáñez, biberódromo, in Spanish, formed by "biberón" ('baby's bottle') and -dromo ('-drome', as in "aerodrome" or "velodrome") represents the place of the house where the babies' [Read More ...]

Delusionship is an English slang blend formed from delusion and relationship. The term refers to an imagined or exaggerated romantic relationship in which one person believes or fantasizes about a deep emotional [Read More ...]

The Estonian word "nöha" is a blend of two words: "köha" (meaning "cough" in English) and "nohu" (meaning "runny nose" in English). The result is a single word that describes someone experiencing [Read More ...]

Turducken is a lexical blend (portmanteau) formed from turkey, duck, and chicken. The word refers to a dish consisting of a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck, which is then stuffed [Read More ...]

The term cibercondria is a Portuguese neologism that blends ciber- (from cibernético, meaning cyber or relating to the internet) with hipocondria (hypochondria). It describes a condition where individuals repeatedly search for medical [Read More ...]

A new colloquial expression used to emphasize that what you are saying is true. Example: That new pizza place is fire, no cap! Source: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/no-cap

KUJTIMORE, an Albanian neologism coined by the young writer Enkelejd Lamaj. It is structured by adding the suffix -ORE to the noun KUJTIM (memory), which itself derives from the verb KUJTOJ (to [Read More ...]

Imaginative creatures coined by Roald Dahl in The BFG, likely resembling crocodiles that are especially active at dawn. The term exemplifies playful word formation through blending, distortion, and extension of existing lexical [Read More ...]

A Basque noun, literally "scythe-pot", historically referring to a holster for a stone for sharpening scythes worn attached to the belt when working on the fields. When mobile phones came out, people [Read More ...]

Capturing a shift in modern existence, especially with pervasive connectivity (smartphones, social media, etc.) where boundaries blur, the blend of online + life refers to a condition or mode of existence in [Read More ...]

The tendency to schedule social appointments far in advance is considered annoying. From "plan" (plan) + "jeuk" (itch). Provided by the Dutch Language Institute, https://ivdnt.org/actueel/woorden-van-de-week/nieuw-woord-van-de-week/planjeuk/

A Danish neologism designating a green lanyard with yellow sunflowers worn to discreetly signal that the wearer has an invisible disability. From "solsikke"(sunflower) + "snor" (string or lanyard). Read more

A person whose personality is between that of an introvert and an extrovert. An otrovert can enjoy being social but also needs time alone, and tends to change depending on the situation [Read More ...]

A portmanteau for "Dry January", a popular New Year's resolution and health challenge for people who choose to abstain from alcohol and other types of excess after the festive season. Source

A single word chosen to represent a mindset, intention, or value for the upcoming year as an alternative to traditional resolutions. Source

The buzz and festive energy that builds before Christmas. Source

A new word for a winter wonderland. From "winter" and "fantastical". Source

Intentionally doing things to appear cool or mysterious on social media for attention or "clout". Source

Short for "delusional," often used playfully to describe someone with unrealistic beliefs, particularly about a crush or situation. Source

A Spanish neologism for a person, especially a man, who exhibits a sexist attitude. Source

The stress related to finding or keeping housing in a difficult market. Portmanteau of "immobilier" (housing, real estate) + "anxiété" (anxiety). Source