back whisperer noun [C]
UK /ˈbæk.ˌwɪs.pᵊr.əʳ/ US /ˈbæk.ˌwɪs.pɚ.ɚ/
a person who helps someone control and manage their back pain without using conventional drugs

Over time, Jakobson Ramin’s squad of back whisperers – rehab, postural and ergonomic specialists, cognitive psychologists and experts in meditation and kinesiology – left her convinced that outwitting back pain requires changing your attitude, from “victimised” to “in control”.
[The Telegraph, 22 January 2018]

carb rinsing noun [U]
UK /ˈkɑːb.rɪns.ɪŋ/ US /ˈkɑːrb.rɪns.ɪŋ/
washing the inside of one’s mouth with a liquid containing sugar and then spitting the liquid out, an activity thought to give the body an instant boost of energy

The researchers, from Coventry University, tested 12 healthy men in their early or mid-20s and found that carb rinsing significantly improved jumping height, the number of bench presses and squats, sprint times over 10 meters, and their sense of alertness.
[The Guardian, 6 February 2018]

DASH diet noun [U]
/ˈdæʃ.daɪ.ət/
abbreviation for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension: a way of eating that aims to reduce high blood pressure

One study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that a combination of the DASH diet and regular exercise can help hypertensive patients lower systolic blood pressure by up to 16 points in four months. Research also shows that the diet can help lower your LDL cholesterol, or the most harmful form of cholesterol.
[Men’s Health, 19 January 2018]

About new words

skip-gen trip noun [C]
/ˈskɪp.dʒen.trɪp/
a holiday taken by grandparents and their grandchildren, or by other family members two generations apart

Travel advisors are now seeing requests for “skip-gen” trips, where grandparents take grandchildren on epic holidays, leaving parents behind … Why now? As the baby boomers retire, two of their top priorities are family and travel. Skip-gen trips combine the two, and allow milestones to be marked, even if parents can’t take time off.
[www.independent.co.uk, 22 August 2017]

last-chance tourism noun [U]
UK /ˌlæst.tʃɑːns.ˈtʊə.rɪ.zᵊm/ US /ˌlæst.tʃæns.ˈtʊr.ɪ.zᵊm/
visiting parts of the world that are endangered and so may no longer exist as a travel destination in the future

Call it the climate change effect. As travel experts look to the new year, they say last-chance tourism will emerge as one of the biggest trends fueling wanderlust. From millennials visiting pristine countries like New Zealand to spending time in the Arctic, visiting endangered destinations will continue to thrive in 2018.
[www.forbes.com, 28 December 2017]

globo noun [C]
UK /ˈgləʊ.bəʊ/ US /ˈgloʊ.boʊ/
someone who lives or spends a lot of time in several different parts of the world

Globos are global citizens for whom home is anywhere, from the African Plain to the corner bedroom at Soho House, New York … Globo couples such as George and (French, English and Arabic speaking) Amal Clooney … fit in as easily at the White House as they do a British shooting party.
[www.telegraph.co.uk, 2 December 2017]

About new words

a-commerce noun [U]
UK /eɪ.ˈkɒm.ɜːs/ US /eɪ.ˈkɑː.mɝːs/
the business of buying and selling goods using technologies such as augmented reality so that purchasers can see items in their real-life context before they buy them

Let’s then welcome … A-Commerce, which will soon replace the E-Commerce term. Through AR, retailers can now offer a more interactive and personal experience that will shift the way we shop forever. Of course, brick-and-mortar stores won’t disappear just yet. But for sure we are coming closer to see that happen one day.
[medium.com, 26 December 2017]

techlash noun [C]
/ˈtek.læʃ/
a backlash (a strong feeling among a group of people in reaction to a change or recent events) against technology

Daniel Franklin, executive editor at The Economist and editor of “The World in 2018”, told CNBC in an interview that he believed one particular theme to watch out for in 2018 would likely be an impending “techlash.” Over the coming months, lawmakers across the world will likely turn on tech behemoths such as Facebook, Google and Amazon, Franklin said.
[www.cnbc.com, 1 January 2018]

Industry 4.0 noun [U]
UK /ˈɪn.də.stri.fɔː.pɔɪnt.ˈzɪə.rəʊ/ US /ˈɪn.də.stri.fɔːr.pɔɪnt.ˈzɪr.oʊ/
the processes involved in producing goods for sale in which technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things play an important part

All revolutions are disruptive, and Industry 4.0 is no exception. It poses risks, but offers tremendous opportunity: for new products and services, better ways to serve customers, new types of jobs, and wholly new business models.
[www2.deloitte.com, 22 January 2018]

About new words

forest bath noun [C]
UK /ˈfɒr.ɪst.ˌbɑːθ/ US /ˈfɔːr.ɪst.ˌbæθ/
an activity similar to meditation that involves sitting in a forest and focusing on your surroundings

I asked myself: who are the world’s most intense commuters and what do they do about it? The answer is, of course, the Japanese, and their solution is to take a forest bath. Shin-rin yoku was developed by the Forest Agency Of Japan in the 1980s as a “simple practice for enhancing health”.
[Sunday Times, 1 October 2017]

sound healing noun [U]
/ˈsaʊnd.ˌhiː.lɪŋ/
a type of meditation that involves listening to the human voice and different objects that produce sound

In an increasingly stressful world, sound healing is on the verge of joining yoga and meditation in mainstream consciousness. It’s not just about achieving a deeper state of sleep, either … In effect, it’s much like meditation, except instead of regulated breathing, the path to betterment is guided by sound.
[www.wweek.com, 2 January 2018]

gong bath noun [C]
UK /ˈgɒŋ.bɑːθ/ US /ˈgɑːŋ.bæθ/
a type of meditation session in which the therapist plays one or more types of gong (a round piece of metal that is hung in a frame and hit with a stick to produce a sound)

I first zoned out to a gong bath a decade ago in a North London yoga studio. I’d turned up for the yoga but ended up blissed out to the sound vibrations and keen for another hit. Back then one or two people a year were learning to play the gong and carry out sacred healing ceremonies … now it’s more like 70 or 80.
[The Guardian, 15 January 2018]

About new words

nanokicking noun [U]
UK /ˈnæn.əʊ.ˌkɪk.ɪŋ/ US /ˈnæn.oʊ.ˌkɪk.ɪŋ/
a process that transforms a body’s stem cells into bone

Nanokicking subjects cells to ultra-precise, nanoscale vibrations while they are suspended inside collagen gels. The process of nanokicking turns the cells in the gels into a ‘bone putty’ that has potential to be used to heal bone fractures and fill bone where there is a gap.
[University of Glasgow News, 12 September 2017]

e-skin noun [C, U]
/’i:.skɪn/
a thin material, or a garment made from this material, that contains sensors and can monitor motion and bodily functions such as heart rate and breathing

CES demos showed the e-skin used for simple gaming, but with further development Xenoma believe it could also be used for fitness coaching and healthcare as well. Sadly, you’re unlikely to be suiting up any time soon. The only way to get hold of an e-skin right now is to purchase a full developer’s kit, which will set you back a cool $5,000.
[blog.vodafone.co.uk, 12 January 2018]

living tattoo noun [C]
/ˌlɪv.ɪŋ.tætˈuː/
a type of tattoo made from special ink that reacts to changes in the environment

The researchers say these living tattoos could be used as a wearable device to sense pollutants in the air or track changes in the temperature. Developed by MIT engineers, the tattoo was “printed” layer-by-layer on a patch before being adhered to the skin.
[www.irishnews.com, 6 December 2017]

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haem noun [U]
/hi:m/
an organic molecule found in plants that can be used in vegetarian and vegan cooking to mimic the red colour of meat

Silicon Valley start-up Impossible Foods has launched a plant-based burger using the sci-fi-sounding gene-edited ingredient. Haem makes the patty ‘bleed’ and imparts iron-filled meatiness. It’s considered the best meat-free burger, bar none.
[Good Food Magazine, January 2018]

sunion noun [C]
/ˈsʌn.jən/
a type of onion that does not make your eyes water when you slice or chop it

With typical onions, these compounds, which form sulphuric acid when they come into contact with the water in your eyes, remain stable or increase during storage. But with sunions the levels actually decrease over time, resulting in an onion variety that becomes sweeter, milder, and tearless.
[www.independent.co.uk, 10 January 2018]

crossushi noun [U, C]
UK /krəʊ.ˈsuː.ʃi/ US /kroʊ.ˈsuː.ʃi/
a croissant with sushi inside it

Full disclosure, in case you couldn’t already tell, I am one of those croissant purists. I prefer to stick to a non-stuffed pastry — unless chocolate is involved — that showers flakes, not salmon, onto my lap. But, the “crossushi” was not created for me. It was created for adventurous eaters who care more for creativity and possibilities of what can be.
[www.bustle.com, 2 January 2018]

About new words

Amazon effect noun [U]
UK /ˈæm.ə.zᵊn.ɪˈfekt/ US /ˈæm.ə.zɑːn.əˈfekt/
the increase in e-commerce and the resulting closure of many physical shops, named after the online retailer Amazon, the success of which has had a significant influence on shopping habits

Retail. Cloud computing. Logistics. Film and television production. Grocery shopping. The list of industries and business processes disrupted by Amazon Inc. is long, and could get longer. Traditional banking may be the next area to face the “Amazon effect,” argues a new report from management consulting firm McKinsey.
[www.marketwatch.com, 25 October 2017]

Silicon Slopes noun [plural]
UK /ˌsɪl.ɪ.kən.ˈsləʊps/ US /ˌsɪl.ə.kən.ˈsloʊps/
an area in Utah where there are a large number of information technology and computer companies

In a recent conversation in his office, 20 minutes north of Salt Lake City, Skonnard, 44, described how he hoped to close the skills gap among tech workers worldwide and increase Pluralsight’s revenue from between $100 million and $200 million today to $500 million by 2020. As for the area that tech entrepreneurs have taken to calling Silicon Slopes, Skonnard says, “We have a vision for what Utah can be.”
[www.forbes.com, 3 April 2018]

Zoogler noun [C]
UK /’zuː.gləʳ/ US /’zuː.glɚ/
an employee of Google who works in the company’s Zurich office

The Zooglers have table tennis and pinball, but also a band rehearsal room, a cinema, a gym and a Lego room. There are circular curtained-off meeting rooms, as in a dystopian hospital. There are cable cars to sit in for no reason. There’s a room with a piano in it. And free good food.
[The Guardian, 15 January 2018]

About new words

space fever noun [U]
UK /ˈspeɪsˌfiː.vəʳ/ US /ˈspeɪsˌfiː.vɚ/
a medical condition in which an astronaut’s body temperature is higher than usual because of the effects of weightlessness

“This space fever, as we may call it, has potential implications for long-term space flights in terms of astronauts’ health, wellbeing and support,” the researchers wrote in their study, published in the journal Scientific Reports.
[www.independent.co.uk, 6 January 2018]

space gene noun [C]
/ˈspeɪs.dʒiːn/
a part of the DNA in the human body that undergoes significant change when the person is in space

Scientists are looking for what they’re calling a “space gene.” By sequencing the RNA in the twins’ white blood cells, researchers found more than 200,000 RNA molecules that were expressed differently between the brothers. It is normal for twins to have unique mutations in their genome, but scientists are “looking closer to see if a ‘space gene’ could have been activated while Scott was in space,” according to NASA.
[www.ukbusinessinsider.com, 1 February 2017]

space sculpture noun [C]
UK /ˈspeɪsˌskʌlp.tʃəʳ/ US /ˈspeɪsˌskʌlp.tʃɚ/
an object made from a heat-resistant material launched into space as a piece of art

An artificial diamond is set to light up the night sky as part of a new art project. Orbital Reflector is a ‘space sculpture’ constructed of a lightweight material similar to Mylar. It is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX rocket in 2018, and its creator says once it inflates 350 miles above Earth, it will be visible with the naked eye.
[www.dailymail.co.uk, 29 September 2017]

About new words

workleisure noun [U]
UK /ˈwɜːk.leʒ.əʳ/ US /ˈwɝːk.liː.ʒɚ/
a fashionable style of clothing that is as comfortable as leisurewear but also formal enough for wearing to work

Simply put, workleisure is office-appropriate clothing that feels like your favorite yoga pants. Think comfortable and stylish.This game-changing wardrobe category is made of technical, durable materials. You can expect incredibly stretchy, low-maintenance fabrics cut into flattering work/dinner/happy hour-appropriate pieces.
[www.brevitybrand.com, 20 November 2017]

schmoo noun [C]
/ʃmu:/
a jumper without a hole for the head to go through, intended to be wrapped around the wearer’s shoulders

August is always silly season, but the fashion industry doesn’t always join in with such humorous abandon. We haven’t even gotten to the schmoo yet. The what? Oh, it’s a jumper – minus the traditional hole for your head to go through – designed to be worn over the shoulders for extra warmth. “It’s like a child’s security blanket,” schmoo inventor Michael Kors said after his New York show in which they debuted.
[The Pool, 17 August 2017]

drouser noun [C]
UK /ˈdraʊ.zəʳ/ US /ˈdraʊ.zɚ/
an item of clothing comprising a dress attached to a pair of trousers

You know how sometimes you can’t make up your mind about wearing a dress or a trouser? Now, you can wear both at the same time. Yes, a hybrid clothing item consisting of the two is now a trend. Don’t confuse it with putting on a skirt over a pair of pants though. The drouser, as it is termed, is one garment by itself. Just have a look at the designs by Elie Saab for the Spring 2017 Haute Couture runway.
[www.star2.com, 25 February 2017]

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