asperitas noun [U]
UK /æsˈpe.rɪ.təs/ US /æsˈpe.rɪ.t̬əs/
a type of cloud that forms a thick layer in the shape of waves

The asperitas cloud is among the stars of the World Meteorological Organization’s scarcely published International Cloud Atlas.
[USA Today, 24 March 2017]

dark sunshine noun [U]
UK /ˌdɑːkˈsʌn.ʃaɪn/ US /ˌdɑːrkˈsʌn.ʃaɪn/
a substance thought to exist inside the sun that gives off a special type of light

While scientists continue looking skyward to find more insight into the mysteries of dark matter, some have begun looking to our sun for “dark sunshine.”
[Astronomy magazine, 25 May 2016]

red geyser noun [C]
UK /redˈgiː.zəʳ/ US /redˈgaɪ.zɚ/
a galaxy that contains a large number of very large black holes and where no new stars are able to form

Today, astronomers … are announcing the discovery of a new class of galaxies called “red geysers” that harbor supermassive black holes with winds that have the power to keep dormant galaxies quiet.
[Astronomy magazine, 25 May 2016]

About new words

F rating noun [U]
UK /ˈef.reɪ.tɪŋ/ US /ˈef.reɪ.t̬ɪŋ/
a classification awarded to a film written or directed by a woman, or with important female characters

The F rating was created in 2014 by Bath film festival executive director Holly Tarquini to “support women in film and change the stories we see on screen”.
[The Guardian, 7 March 2017]

the Paula principle noun [C]
UK /ˈpɔːl.ᵊ.prɪn.sə.pᵊl/ US /ˈpɑːl.ᵊ.prɪn.sə.pᵊl/
a theory that most women have a job that does not allow them to fulfil their competence

The Paula principle applies as much to the clerk who does not apply for a supervisor’s job because she does not have the confidence, as it does to the deputy CEO blocked from the top job by covert discrimination or male cliquery.
[The Observer, 12 March 2017]

sologamy noun [U]
UK /səˈlɒg.ə.mi/ US /səˈlɑː.gə.mi/
the act of marrying oneself in an unofficial ceremony

Love or hate sologamy, it seems to capture the public imagination, begging a variety of glib questions that people can’t wait to ask: “Does that mean if you don’t get on you’ll have to divorce yourself?”
[Huffington Post, 27 February 2017]

About new words

ambient tea noun [C and U]
/ˈæm.bi.ənt.tiː/
a type of tea served at room temperature, usually with food

Ambient tea … feels appropriate for service with fine food as it can be poured from a bottle or decanter into glasses at a temperature that creates no condensation on the glass and is pleasant to hold in one’s hands.
[www.postcardteahouse.com, 14 December 2016]

golden milk noun [C and U]
UK /ˈgəʊl.dᵊn.mɪlk/ US /ˈgoʊl.dᵊn.mɪlk/
a type of drink made with coconut milk, turmeric and sometimes other ingredients

Used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, golden milk is a combination of the powerful spice turmeric, coconut milk, and sometimes coconut oil.
[www.popsugar.co.uk, 21 June 2016]

mindful drinking noun [U]
/ˈmaɪnd.fᵊl.drɪŋ.kɪŋ/
the activity of consuming little or no alcohol at social events

Forget pub crawls – increasing numbers of young people are replacing beer and wine with “mindful drinking” – where abstinence, not alcohol, is all the rage.
[The Observer, 26 February 2017]

About new words

gigamansion noun [C]
/ˈgɪg.ə.mæn.ʃᵊn/
a very large and expensive house

Gigamansion is the term we must now use to describe the new breed of homes that are landing like alien motherships on the fragrant hills of Bel Air, Beverly Hills and Holmby Hills.
[The Times, 18 February 2017]

furnitecture noun [U]
UK /ˈfɜː.nɪ.tek.tʃəʳ/ US /ˈfɝː.nɪ.tek.tʃɚ/
furniture that is part of the structure of a house or other building

The property … contains some fantastic examples of “furnitecture” – furniture that’s integrated into the architecture. Murphy has only four pieces of furniture because everything else – seating, beds, bookshelves, wardrobes – is part of the fabric.
[The Telegraph, 27 February 2017]

sky pool noun [C]
/ˈskaɪ.puːl/
a swimming pool suspended in the air between two buildings

The developers say the transparent ‘sky pool’ will be the first of its kind in the world, giving swimmers the ability to look 35 metres down to the world below, with only 20cm of glass between them and the outside world.
[Cosmopolitan, 13 February 2017]

About new words

Instagirl noun [C]
UK /ˈɪn.stə.gɜːl/ US /ˈɪn.stə.gɝːl/
a female model who has a large number of followers on Instagram, a social media site for sharing photographs

US Vogue coined the term “Instagirl” to describe the new crop of models whose careers and Instagram platforms are effectively one and the same.
[The Observer, 5 March 2017]

shelfie noun [C]
/ˈʃel.fi/
a photograph that someone takes of the books and other objects on their shelves and then publishes on a social media site

Instagram has a lot to answer for. While most us are just beginning to get to grips with the selfie, the ‘shelfie’ movement has been gaining digital ground.
[The Telegraph, 3 February 2017]

surroundie noun [C]
/səˈraʊn.dɪ/
a 360-degree photograph taken with a special camera

Forget selfies – 2017 is all about 360° cameras and ‘surroundies’, which capture the entire scene around you.
[Elle, January 2017]

About new words

sensitivity reader noun [C]
UK /ˌsen.sɪˈtɪv.ə.ti.riː.dəʳ/ US /ˌsen.səˈtɪv.ə.t̬i.riː.dɚ/
someone who reads a book not yet published in order to check the content for anything that may offend certain groups of people

It’s not clear that authors are equally free to ignore the censoriousness of “sensitivity readers”, to whom some American editors are currently sending unpublished work for review.
[The Observer, 19 February 2017]

breath coach noun [C]
UK /ˈbreθˌkəʊtʃ/ US /ˈbreθˌkoʊtʃ/
someone who you pay to give you advice about how to breathe correctly

I am lying on the floor with one hand on my belly, which I am trying to inflate like a balloon as I breathe in. I inhale through my mouth, try to send the air right down to my abdomen, exhale, then repeat. “Now connect each breath, like a wave,” instructs … my breath coach.
[The Times, 4 February 2017]

wine detective noun [C]
/ˈwaɪn.dɪˌtek.tɪv/
someone whose job is to prove that wine is counterfeit

While Mr Moulin’s official job title is “fine wine and authentication manager”, he is in fact BBR’s head wine detective, tasked with preventing any counterfeit bottles entering the facility.
[BBC News, 30 March 2017]

About new words

neo-generalist noun [C]
UK /niː.əʊˈdʒen.ᵊr.ᵊl.ɪst/ US /niː.oʊˈdʒen.ᵊr.ᵊl.ɪst/
an employee who has both general and specialist skills

First know that neo-generalists have always been here. We just have failed to recognize them. In a society that focuses on one skill or talent, all too often we miss those who criss-cross varying degrees of skills and talents in multiple realms.
[www.medium.com, 7 February 2017]

returnship noun [C]
UK /rɪˈtɜːn.ʃɪp/ US /rɪˈtɝːn.ʃɪp/
a period of time during which someone works for a company or organization in order to get experience of returning to employment after taking time off

And her placement wasn’t a graduate traineeship but a “returnship”: a paid position aimed at bringing women like her – who were once senior in the workplace but have taken significant breaks to raise children or care for elderly relatives – back into employment.
[Telegraph, 23 January 2017]

supertasker noun [C]
UK /ˈsuː.pə.tɑːs.kəʳ/ US /ˈsuː.pɚ.tæs.kɚ/
someone who is very good at doing more than one thing at the same time

Supertaskers can juggle multiple tasks because their brains are wired for more efficiency. It would be a mistake to think that more brain activity always means better. The more they had to do, the more efficient they became.
[www.bbc.com/future, 13 February 2017]

About new words

roamer noun [C]
UK /ˈrəʊm.əʳ/ US /ˈroʊm.ɚ/
someone who moves from one country to another to live and work

A new breed of traveller is, today, heading abroad to find better careers, more intellectual stimulation or simply more adventure … they’re happy to move from country to country in pursuit of personal or professional goals. Let us introduce you to the roamers.
[easyJet Traveller, February 2017]

champing noun [U]
/ˈtʃæm.pɪŋ/
a type of camping that involves sleeping in a church that is not being used. The word is a mixture of ‘church’ and ‘camping’.

Whereas glamping once reigned supreme, champing is now the latest craze.
[Daily Mail, 7 January 2017]

sight-doing noun [U]
/ˈsaɪt.duː.ɪŋ/
doing activities when on holiday, especially those that involve taking part in local culture

Now sight-doing (cultural immersion through local experiences) is a higher priority than sight-seeing (typically, group tours of historical landmarks), and travel companies are on the case to reflect that.
[Elle, January 2017]

About new words

Chief Happiness Officer noun [C]
UK /tʃiːf.ˈhæp.i.nəsˌɒf.ɪ.səʳ/ US /tʃiːfˈhæp.i.nəsˌɑː.fɪ.sɚ/
someone whose job is to ensure that employees of a particular company are happy and fulfilled

Chief Happiness Officer is perhaps the most controversial job title in business. To some, it’s a sign that employee engagement is finally being taken seriously. To others, it signals an unwelcome move towards employers tinkering with our emotions at work.
[www.engageforsuccess.org, 13.10.2016]

funsultant noun [C]
/fʌnˈsʌl.tᵊnt/
someone who advises employees on how to make the company a more fun place to work

In The Wellness Syndrome … we took a look at the increasing fascination with happiness at work. We found a growing industry of “funsultants” offering advice on how to make workforces more positive.
[The Guardian, 12.12.2016]

vibe manager noun [C]
UK /ˈvaɪb.mæn.ɪ.dʒəʳ/ US /ˈvaɪb.mæn.ɪ.dʒɚ/
someone whose job is to create a good atmosphere in the workplace

Kerry Robinson has worked extensively in the start-up world – at Airbnb, Crowdsurfing, Soundcloud and Headspace – as a self-styled ‘vibe manager’. That means she uses any tool she can – from food and yoga to parties and funky settings – to maintain a positive mindset inside the organisation and make sure people are enjoying their time at work.
[www.worktechacademy.com, 16.09.2016]

About new words

heartfulness noun [U]
UK /ˈhɑːt.fᵊl.nəs/ US /ˈhɑːrt.fᵊl.nəs/
a type of meditation that involves being aware of your heart, thought to create a feeling of calm

Heartfulness is a simple and effective way to integrate meditation into our daily life. The heartfulness technique shows us to gently turn our attention towards our heart and experience that inner presence for ourselves.
[www.active.com, 03.01.2017]

gratitude journal noun [C]
UK /ˈgræt.ɪ.tʃuːdˌdʒɜː.nᵊl/ US /ˈgræt̬.ə.tuːdˌdʒɝː.nᵊl/
a written record of good things that have happened each day

This isn’t an ordinary diary, but my gratitude journal. I don’t record the seasons or churn through my feelings for profound conclusions. Each night, just before bed, I simply write a list of the three most wonderful things that have happened in the last 24 hours.
[Sunday Telegraph, 21.01.2017]

Buddha diet noun [U]
UK /ˈbʊd.əˌdaɪ.ət/ US /ˈbʊd.əˌdaɪ.ət/
a type of eating plan in which someone eats only during a nine-hour period each day and not at any other time, in order to lose body weight

A new concept from California based on ancient principles in which monks confined eating to a nine-hour window, the Buddha diet is supposed to help you get back in tune with your natural hunger cycle, rather than succumb to constant snacking.
[Metro, 19.01.2017]

About new words