About New Words
The words and phrases presented here have been observed recently in written or spoken English by one of our staff or a special team employed to monitor the language for such neologisms, or new words. Some of them will undoubtedly be short-lived, some will prove popular and eventually make it into our dictionaries – it is very difficult to predict which will do which, particularly because most of these words have only just started appearing. Therefore we present them here, separately from our main dictionaries, for users’ interest and (hopefully) entertainment. Source information, about where the word was read or heard, is usually included with the original context.
These words and phrases can appear in either British or American English, the source information will usually give an indication of this. The entries for these new words are not as fully-featured as those on Cambridge Dictionaries Online – for example, there is no pronunciation or grammar information – because it is difficult to give such information with accuracy as the words are still so new in the language.
We make no claims that these words will still be popular in a year’s time, nor do we approve or disapprove them – we leave it up to you to vote with the thumbs-up and thumbs-down.
Ron Carter
Cambridge Words
Dom Glennon
hughrawson
katewoodford
Liz Walter
Paul Heacock
racheledf
Trevor Bryden
Thnk u soo much for posting new words. im much interesed in cambridge. These words are so different. so itz interesting to use them. can we use these words casually??
i love cambridge dictionary
right!
itz nice!!!
really really good………
The words and phrases presented here have been observed recently in written or spoken English by one of our staff or a special team employed to monitor the language for such neologisms, or new words. Some of them will undoubtedly be short-lived, some will prove popular and eventually make it into our dictionaries – it is very difficult to predict which will do which, particularly because most of these words have only just started appearing. Therefore we present them here, separately from our main dictionaries, for users’ interest and (hopefully) entertainment. Source information, about where the word was read or heard, is usually included with the original context.
As type writers are disappearing fast there is a ghost of chance of finding their way into a dictionary.
Honorificabilitudinitatibus?
think it is so good.
thanks it is really good .
i so happy tofind this page
i think it is good 4 learning us.
great dedicated job! but where would we find ”expected changes of grammar rather than vocabulary?thank you
Too gooood for non native speakers….
Would it be right to use these words in our conversation before they are stabilized in use?
I don’t see why not – but you might have to explain what they mean to native speakers!
The language which doesn’t develop will be dead.
its appreciable
Why isn’t USAer a word?
Why isn’t ‘Illini’ [Illinois Native] listed?
it is only 8:00 a.m. on this Illini’s clock…
Being an astute Illini living in Australia, it’s obvious that recognition of world time zones failed to enter into the calculation!
“The words and phrases presented here have been observed recently in written or spoken English by one of our staff or a special team employed to monitor the language for such neologisms, or new words.”
Is there any way you could give us insight into this “observation” and/or “monitoring”.
- Are you actively seeking neologisms ? In the Press for example.
- What methods (if any) do you use for “monitoring” the appearance of neologisms?
- Are some sources better than others (I find the Guardian Tech section particularly good in that respect)?
- Do you know of any newspaper style manual that would have/establish guidelines as to how/when to use neologisms (@GuardianStyle tweeted they did not have any)?
A lot of questions but the subject is fascinating.
- Yes, we have a small team in the UK and the US who read and mark a range of sources, looking especially for neologisms.
- The methodology is fairly simple and straightforward: noticing a new word or new use, then checking it against existing dictionaries (in print and online) to see if it’s covered.
- Different sources obviously cover different subject areas: Celebrity magazines and supermarket tabloids for pop culture, the Guardian, the NY Times, BBC Radio 4 and NPR radio in the US for topical news and business, and so forth.
- We can’t recommend a source for guidelines as to how and when to use neologisms. It is common practice in may publications to place a term readers might now know in inverted commas and to provide an explanation of what the term means. This is especially true when introducing more technical terminology to a lay audience, but can be used whenever a new term is being mentioned for the first time. Another device is to introduce a new term with ‘so-called’ although there is at least a whiff of disapproval in that approach.
I’ve come up with a word out of necessity and have suggested it to several people (approximately 50-60). They have unanimously agreed that it is an excellent word that people would use every day. It is necessary, easy to use and simple in its meaning. This word has the potential of being used world wide. Can you direct me on how to get it out there?
Hi Sharon, you would need to get it used regularly in contemporary English before we would consider adding it to the dictionaries. Suggesting it to friends is a start, but to really get it out there you need to start using it on the internet – in social media, forums etc. If you can get it in such a format that it goes viral (such as a humorous cartoon that people will want to share with friends), it is possible for it to catch on very quickly.
Lobbying
I like this and i want more.
I think these words help us to learn more .thank you
Hi and thank you for the answer regarding my new word and how to get it out there. This site is an excellent place to start! I thought of this word while writing “email address”. E-DRESS, pronounced eedress. It would replace the commonly used “email address”, shortening it and thus making it easier and faster to say, type and write. I imagine it could be used in writing and speech around the world. Hey everyone, start using ‘e-dress’ instead of ‘email address’! Any comments?
Seems like ‘email’ is ‘enuff’!
Words are the labels on the objects as outstanding Wittgenstein would put it. Without words verbal communication is not possible. Any new coinage enriches the language.The information on the given site provides with fresh look and helps to keep track of the new formations in Modern English.
Could we say that these are nonce words which wait to be tried in speech to get a strong foothold in the language, thus, turning into neologisms? As R.Barthes remarkably stated ” Nothing enters the language without having been tried in speech, but conversely no speech is possible (that is, fulfills its function of communication) if it is not drawn from the ‘treasure’ of the language.”
I like , its interesting
cool …
memogate
Is it not important to distinguish between acronyms, which are not words (at least initially), phrases (which are also not words, per se) and actual words? Several of the new words identified I like for example but are not really ‘new words’, thus I have rated them thumbs down as this seems to be what the rating mechanism is for. Or is it? Perhaps ‘new terms’ might be a better title for the service? Or perhaps some identification of what rating a … term … means would be good?
very useful to us
i am so happy to like this page because i want to learn English very well
i find it vry elating ..n thanks fr publishing new word … plzz keep on publishing ..
Thumbs up!
HOWMATH –
I would like to introduce this word to frame a question.
eg. Obama is the 45th president of USA.
Howmath president of USA is Obama?
It is found that framing of such questions in english is quiet difficult, and there is not a question word for that.
you see, it is us humans that observe and make our jugdement, and decisions according to what is happening, or being experienced I presume we dont have a word in our contamporary dictionaries that could describe precisely what your new words have meant, so why not to be accepted and be used.
Very helpful blog.very impressive and its really helps to develop esl speaking.
There are two related contexts in which I can’t find good antonyms for ‘avoidant’ or ‘avoidance’ – unsatisfactory candidates include positive, active, proactive and confident. Unpleasant neologisms might include “approachant” and “approachance” .
In relations with other people , e,g, “her avoidant behaviour was characterized by withdrawing and turning away from others”. “Very friendly” or “sociable” are perhaps the nearest to an adjective that means “open to and actively positive about interactions with other people”, but lack specificity.
However, this is probably less of a problem than the other sense of characterising goals, e.g. Avoid goals are directed towards avoiding an undesirable outcome, such as “I don’t want to be the last one chosen.” Approach goals are directed towards approaching a desirable outcome, such as “I want to get a First in my degree”.
It is slightly odd that it is difficult to come up with an adjective that means ‘acting positively towards a desirable outcome’. “He stopped avoiding his dissertation, and displayed a positive and active attitude towards his studies” is fine, but long. “He stopped avoiding his dissertation, behaving in an approach way towards his studies” sounds terrible. “He stopped avoiding his dissertation with approachance” also sounds terrible, but is succinct.
I would be interested to hear of any really good antonyms for ‘avoidant’ and ‘avoidance’.