New words – 27 July 2020

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Generation Alpha noun [U]
/ˌdʒen.əˈreɪ.ʃᵊn.ˈæl.fə/
a way of referring to the group of people who were, or will be, born in the 2010s and 2020s

A picture of Generation Alpha, if a blurry one, is starting to emerge. In various articles about its members, analysts have stated that they are or will grow up to be the best-educated generation ever, the most technologically immersed [and] the wealthiest.
[theatlantic.com, 21 February 2020]

anti-natalism noun [U]
UK /ˌæn.tiˈneɪ.tᵊl.ɪ.zᵊm/ US /ˌæn.tiˈneɪ.t̬ᵊl.ɪ.zᵊm/
the belief that it is morally wrong to have children

More people, millennials specifically, are drawn to a similar idea that suggests that procreation is problematic. It’s called “anti-natalism,” and proponents believe it’s the environmentally friendly and morally ethical thing to do.
[refinery29.com, 14 August 2019]

boomsplain verb
/ˈbuːm.spleɪn/
to give someone an unnecessary or unwanted explanation of something; used when someone of the baby boomer generation explains something to a younger person

Let me boomsplain: All parents are out of touch. Ours were about (hello again) Vietnam, women’s rights and racism (some things never change). Gen Xer Will Smith had a huge hit in 1988 called “Parents Just Don’t Understand.”
[sfchronicle.com, 19 December 2019]

About new words

3 thoughts on “New words – 27 July 2020

  1. LB

    Generation Alpha seems to be one of those vague terms that describe nothing yet attempt to stick a label on a person. C’mon, people are more complicated than their labels claim them to be.

  2. connor garcia

    Some people think bringing a new person into existence is too risky, especially given the Zika virus and coronavirus. They want to be extra careful not to accidentally hurt their offspring. That thought is antinatalism.

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