Category: New words

close-up of a woman sneezing into a paper tissue, illustrating the concept of autumn sneezing syndrome

New words – 22 January 2024

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words7 Comments
close-up of a woman sneezing into a paper tissue, illustrating the concept of autumn sneezing syndrome
Peter Dazeley / The Image Bank / Getty

autumn sneezing syndrome noun [U]
UK /ˌɔː.təm ˈsniːzɪŋ ˌsɪn.drəʊm/ US /ˌɑː.t̬ᵊm ˈsniːzɪŋ ˌsɪn.droʊm/
an allergy caused by pollen that people are most likely to suffer from during autumn

“Autumn sneezing syndrome” is on the rise as allergies become more common, an expert has said. The increasing number of cases is said to be caused by shifting pollen levels as well as an invasive plant called ragweed, a primary contributor to hay fever symptoms.
[telegraph.co.uk, 12 November 2023]

See also hay fever

quadrupledemic noun [C]
UK /kwɒdˈruː.pᵊlˌdem.ɪk/ US /kwɑːˈdruː.pᵊlˌdem.ɪk/
the widespread outbreak of Covid-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus at the same time

Cold and flu viruses slowed to a trickle during the early part of the Covid pandemic only to blast through human populations this year. Some public health experts have called it a “tripledemic,” but it might even be described as a quadrupledemic. In the Northern Hemisphere, flu began surging in October, months before its normal season. This year has also seen a steep, early rise in two other viruses, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and adenovirus.
[bloomberg.com, 23 November 2022]

See also tripledemic

long cold noun [C]
UK /ˌlɒŋ ˈkəʊld/ US /ˌlɑːŋ ˈkoʊld/
a condition in which the effects and symptoms of a cold continue for several weeks or months

People can suffer from “long colds” and feel under the weather for weeks after initial symptoms such as sneezing have gone, research has shown … It revealed that the “long Covid” phenomenon applied to most respiratory illnesses, including the common cold.
[thetimes.co.uk, 7 October 2023]

See also long Covid

About new words

a couple sitting and laughing together as they watch television, illustrating the concept of funwashing

New words – 15 January 2024

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words10 Comments
a couple sitting and laughing together as they watch television, illustrating the concept of funwashing
Jevtic / iStock / Getty Images Plus

funwashing noun [U]
UK /ˈfʌn.wɒʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈfʌn.wɑː.ʃɪŋ/
the practice of someone taking part in a popular event or show, appearing on television, etc. as a way to improve their reputation with the public

At the same time, former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage benefits from the same “funwashing” on “I’m a Celebrity Get me out of Here!” as Pauline Hanson, leader of the most successful extreme right party in Australia in recent years, did when she was invited on “Dancing with the Stars” just a moment after her political career plummeted.
[thewire.in, 27 November 2023]

See also -washing, greenwashing, sportswashing

screenwashing noun [U]
UK /ˈskriːn.wɒʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈskriːn.wɑː.ʃɪŋ/
the practice of someone appearing on a popular television programme as a way to improve their reputation with the general public

We need a word for the way political figures who have done terrible things are rehabilitated by television. So here’s a candidate: Screenwashing… Screenwashing induces us to forget or trivialise what these people did when they were in politics. It wipes the public memory clean. If you seek to remind people what these figures did when they were in politics, you are considered a spoilsport, a killjoy. This is the way the world ends: not with a bang but a bant.

[twitter.com/GeorgeMonbiot, 29 November 2022]

wokewashing noun [U]
UK /ˈwəʊk.wɒʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈwoʊk.wɑː.ʃɪŋ/
behaviour or activities to make people believe that a company cares more about social problems such as racism and inequality than it really does

Enter wokewashing. In this phase, brands are co-opting social justice issues like anti-racism, feminism, inequality and mental health awareness. They align themselves with trending socially conscious and cultural issues. Meanwhile, some of the same (or similar) issues they speak up against are being perpetrated within their own company and their supply chains. Such is the dubious art of wokewashing.
[ecostyles.com.au, 23 February 2022]

About new words

a living room with neutral, minimalist decoration including pale grey walls and sofa and pale wood floor, illustrating the concept of house hushing

New words – 8 January 2024

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words10 Comments
a living room with neutral, minimalist decoration including pale grey walls and sofa and pale wood floor, illustrating the concept of house hushing
onurdongel / E+ / Getty

house hushing noun [U]
/ˈhaʊs hʌʃ.ɪŋ/
decorating your house using pale, neutral colours and not filling it with too many objects, so that it feels calm and relaxing

Brits are looking to their homes to provide some much-needed tranquillity. Enter “house hushing”, an organised exercise in decluttering and “noise” reduction that claims to instil a sense of calm into any home, and even improve your emotional wellbeing. House hushing can help to reorganise a space, creating a softer, quieter, more relaxing environment, which clears headspace and helps us to feel less stressed.
[ha-w.co.uk, undated]

appliance garage noun [C]
UK /əˈplaɪ.əns ˌgær.ɑːʒ/ US /əˈplaɪ.əns gəˌrɑːʒ/
a cupboard in the kitchen used for storing equipment that would normally be kept on the worktop, such as the food mixer, toaster, coffee maker etc.

Appliance garages come in all shapes, sizes and designs, from those designed to run from floor to ceiling, to designs that span from the worktop upwards. They can be classic or contemporary in their looks and are usually designed to tie in with the other kitchen units in the space.
[homebuilding.co.uk, 20 December 2022]

friendlord noun [C]
UK /ˈfrend.lɔːd/ US /ˈfrend.lɔːrd/
someone who rents out a room in their house to a friend

There’s limited data on friendlords, but we know the number of homeowners taking in lodgers has tripled in the last ten years. Housing expert Vicky Spratt notes: “Troublingly, such agreements are as commonplace as they are flimsy, with homeowners from younger generations renting out rooms to lodgers and friends to cover their mortgages.”
[thelead.uk, 26 January 2023]

About new words

businesspeople sitting in a meeting; three are older men, smiling, and one is a woman; illustrating the concept of a "broken rung" in a person's career

New words – 1 January 2024

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words9 Comments
businesspeople sitting in a meeting; three are older men, smiling, and one is a woman; illustrating the concept of a "broken rung" in a person's career
FatCamera / E+ / Getty

broken rung noun [C, usually S]
UK /ˌbrəʊ.kᵊn ˈrʌŋ/ US /ˌbroʊ.kᵊn ˈrʌŋ/
the situation where someone can progress quickly in the early stages of their career but finds it difficult to get a more senior post

Although women have made gains in representation at the senior level, advancements are slower at the manager and director levels. “The ‘broken rung’ is the biggest barrier to women’s advancement,” said Rachel Thomas, Lean In’s CEO and co-founder. “Companies are effectively leaving women behind from the very beginning of their careers, and women can never catch up.”
[cnbc.com, 18 October 2023]

See also glass ceiling

exhaustion gap noun [C, usually S]
UK /ɪgˈzɔːs.tʃᵊn ˌgæp/ US /ɪgˈzɑː.tʃᵊn ˌgæp/
the situation where women are generally more tired than men, said to be because women have to do more housework, childcare, etc. in addition to their job

The exhaustion gap is a term that refers to the overwhelming impact of work (both in the office world and at home) exhaustion on women, pointing to stats that show women are more likely to experience burnout and stress as they juggle the demands of their careers with household and caregiving responsibilities.
[stylist.co.uk, September 2023]

gender tenure gap noun [C, usually S]
UK /ˌdʒen.də ˈten.jə ˌgæp/ US /ˌdʒen.dɚ ˈten.jɚ ˌgæp/
the situation where women hold very senior jobs for a shorter time than men

Female CEOs typically have shorter tenures compared to their male counterparts, a new study has found. This “gender tenure gap” sees women leading companies on stock exchanges around the world such as the FTSE 100 and ASX 200 for shorter periods than male leaders.
[womensagenda.com.au, 6 November 2023]

About new words

an ornamental garden at night, lit with bright colours, illustrating the concept of hortifuturism

New words – 25 December 2023

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words5 Comments
an ornamental garden at night, lit with bright colours, illustrating the concept of hortifuturism
Peter Oshkai / Moment / Getty

hortifuturism noun [U]
UK /ˌhɔː.tɪˈfjuː.tʃᵊr.ɪ.zᵊm/ US /ˌhɔːr.t̬əˈfjuː.tʃɚ.ɪ.zᵊm/
a style of garden design that is often inspired by science fiction, featuring unusual plants, very bright colours and lighting that makes the garden look attractive at night

Expect to see bold and bright colors in 2024 with gardens that look straight out of a science fiction movie. Coined “hortifuturism” by Garden Media, the trend replaces cold, metallic hues with vibrant color. With this trend, the brand anticipates more terrariums, survivalist gardens, night gardens, neon-colored plants, and foliage with bright variegation.
[marthastewart.com, 27 October 2023]

electroculture gardening noun [U]
UK /iˈlek.trəʊˌkʌl.tʃə ˈgɑː.dᵊn.ɪŋ/ US /iˈlek.troʊˌkʌl.tʃɚ ˈgɑːr.dᵊn.ɪŋ/
a technique that involves putting metal that conducts electricity into the soil, which is thought to send electrical currents from the air to the plants, making them grow more quickly and produce bigger and healthier crops

YouTube and TikTok is alive with videos of gardeners using basic materials, like copper (pipes or wire), galvanised wire, and/or magnets, to vitalize the soil and reporting yield increases of 100%–300%. Electroculture gardening has been explained as: “it is not electricity as we know it, but a breath of energy, which stimulates and increases the vitality of the soil.” The process is a methodology to enhance the earth’s natural magnetism to benefit your plants.
[futuregarden.co.uk, 9 June 2023]

edimental noun [C]
/ˌed.iˈmen.tᵊl/
a plant that is both edible and ornamental, and usually lives for several years

Harry Holding created an entire show garden at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show based around the concept of edimentals. He explains the concept thus. “Edimentals are in the sweet spot of plants that both look nice, are edible, and generally live for three years or longer. Traditional food growing is more of a seasonal annual cycle, but with edimentals, once you’ve planted it or sown seeds, they are resilient and have longevity.”
[houseandgarden.co.uk, 28 June 2023]

About new words

a young woman smiling at her phone, against a pink background with red hearts, illustrating the concept of dexting

New words – 18 December 2023

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words, the English language1 Comment
a young woman smiling at her phone, against a pink background with red hearts, illustrating the concept of dexting
Evheniia Vasylenko / iStock / Getty Images Plus

dexting noun [U]
/ˈdekst.ɪŋ/
exchanging many text messages with someone you have met on a dating app without ever meeting them in person

If you’ve ever found yourself in a back and forth texting marathon with a potential partner only to wind up with no actual in-person date to show for your time, you’ve probably been a victim of dexting. A combination of “dating” and “texting”, dexting is when people form strong bonds over text after meeting on a dating app but never actually arrange a real date.
[glamourmagazine.co.uk, 7 September 2023]

quiet dumping noun [U]
/ˌkwaɪ.ət ˈdʌm.pɪŋ/
gradually ending a romantic relationship with someone by never making more than the minimum amount of effort needed

Have you ever felt like someone’s pulling away from you? Maybe they’re avoiding a conversation, being aloof and non-commital when it comes to making plans? You could be experiencing quiet dumping. Unlike an explosive outburst and a tearing apart, quiet dumping is a slower and, well, a more quiet separation that usually leaves the dumpee feeling confused and understandably quite hurt.
[huffingtonpost.co.uk, 13 October 2023]

delusionship noun [C]
/dɪˈluː.ʒᵊn.ʃɪp/
a situation where a person imagines their romantic relationship with someone to be much more serious and committed than it is

You match with an attractive person on a dating app and exchange a few messages. Then, without warning, a dizzying daydream pops in your head. Walks on the beach together, picnic lunches, moonlit city strolls, all leading up to a whimsical wedding fantasy. Too bad none of that is real. You might, in fact, be in a “delusionship.”
[usatoday.com, 24 May 2023]

About new words

a young woman embracing her grandmother in a living room, illustrating the concept of grand-mates

New words – 11 December 2023

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words, the English language1 Comment
a young woman embracing her grandmother in a living room, illustrating the concept of grand-mates
Ridofranz / iStock / Getty Images Plus

grand-mate noun [C]
/ˈgrænd.meɪt/
a grandparent who shares a home with a grandchild, or a grandchild who shares a home with a grandparent

This new “grand-mates” trend is bringing about some truly heartwarming intergenerational bonding. The New York Times profiled a number of families who are “grand-mates,” and not one of them had complaints about it. The worst thing they could say was that sometimes the grandchildren weren’t as tidy as their grandparents would like. But there’s an easy solution: One grandma said, “I just keep the door to [my granddaughter’s] room closed.”
[aleteia.org, 10 November 2022]

blue zone thinking noun [U]
UK /ˌbluː zəʊn ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/ US /ˌbluː zoʊn ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/
a way of treating old people that sees them as an important part of society and encourages them to remain healthy and active

The best retirement home I’ve seen wasn’t a retirement home at all — it was an integrated living block in Austria, in which people of all ages lived together, with medical and care centres located on the ground floor, next to the children’s nursery. Homes could be adapted as your needs changed, there were restaurants, shops and clubs for all. This tallies with “blue zone thinking”, in which older people are integrated into society rather than put out to pasture.
[thetimes.co.uk, 24 September 2023]

zombie cell noun [C]
UK /ˈzɒm.bi ˌsel/ US /ˈzɑːm.bi ˌsel/
a cell that is damaged and can no longer multiply but remains in the body and can cause age-related disease

Scientists are working on drugs that kill “zombie cells” to help you live to 200. Zombie cells are a terror-inducing nickname for senescent cells, damaged cells that refuse to die. These damaged cells pile up as we age and lead to inflammation and altered stem cell function.
[honehealth.com, 29 June 2023]

About new words

a man smiling at his reflection in a hand mirror as he sits in a reclining chair in a medical setting, illustrating the concept of Brotox

New words – 4 December 2023

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words, the English language6 Comments
a man smiling at his reflection in a hand mirror as he sits in a reclining chair in a medical setting, illustrating the concept of Brotox
ljubaphoto / E+ / Getty

Brotox noun [U]
UK /ˈbrəʊ.tɒks/ US /ˈbroʊ.tɑːks/
a humorous word for Botox when the procedure is given to a man

The rise of so-called Brotox is being reported in the UK, where the male grooming industry is worth an estimated £500 million a year. Celebrities aren’t immune from this trend. Plastic surgeons say that more and more male stars appeared to be “jumping on the Brotox bandwagon”.
[theweek.com, 12 August 2023]

perception drift noun [U]
UK /pəˈsep.ʃᵊn ˌdrɪft/ US /pɚˈsep.ʃᵊn ˌdrɪft/
someone’s inability to remember how their natural face looks after they have had a number of cosmetic procedures such as Botox

The term perception drift was first coined by a dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon. It happens when people get a series of procedures or tweakments and forget how they originally/naturally looked prior to aesthetic changes. Perception drift is when a person’s perception of change following an aesthetic treatment is skewed or inaccurate. In most cases, other people notice these changes, but not the ones who underwent the procedure.
[cutislaserclinics.com, 28 April 2023]

prejuvenation noun [U]
/priːˌdʒuː.vᵊnˈeɪ.ʃᵊn/
the act or process of using cosmetic procedures on someone who is still young to prevent them from looking older later

In the world of aesthetics, a new trend has turned into a lifestyle: prejuvenation. Younger patients are more interested in skincare and aesthetics than ever, suggesting that aesthetic enhancements shouldn’t be limited to corrective procedures. Prejuvenation refers to seeking preventative aesthetic procedures that postpone visible signs of aging instead of correcting problems after they occur.
[novaplasticsurgery.com, 27 June 2023]

About new words

an electric car parked outside a house, with a charging cable connecting the car to a device in the wall, illustrating the concept of V2H, or vehicle-to-home charging

New words – 27 November 2023

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words, the English language4 Comments
an electric car parked outside a house, with a charging cable connecting the car to a device in the wall, illustrating the concept of V2H, or vehicle-to-home charging
piranka / E+ / Getty

V2H noun [U]
/ˌviː.tuːˈeɪtʃ/
abbreviation for vehicle-to-home: a system that allows electric vehicles to transfer the energy stored in their batteries back into the electrical system of a home

The idea is that electric vehicles, when not in use, often have surplus energy stored in their batteries. Rather than letting this energy go to waste, V2H systems enable the vehicle’s stored energy to be fed back into the home’s power grid, powering household appliances and systems. With V2H, EV owners can potentially save on their electricity bills and make more efficient use of their renewable energy resources, while also providing a backup power source for their homes.
[electriccarguide.co.uk, 19 October 2023]

bidirectional charging noun [U]
UK /ˌbaɪ.daɪˈrek.ʃᵊn.ᵊl ˈtʃɑː.dʒɪŋ/ US /ˌbaɪ.dɪˈrek.ʃᵊn.ᵊl ˈtʃɑːr.dʒɪŋ/
a system that allows the electricity put into the battery of an electric vehicle to be transferred out of the vehicle and used to provide electrical power for something else

One of the most talked about features in the EV world works only when your car is parked: Bidirectional charging allows owners to turn their vehicles into four-wheeled batteries, sending power back to their homes, appliances and even to the utility grid. Currently, bidirectional charging is available in only a handful of cars. But its popularity is growing: GM announced that the technology will come standard in all its electric vehicles by model year 2026.
[cnet.com, 4 September 2023]

charge rage noun [U]
UK /ˈtʃɑːdʒ ˌreɪdʒ/ US /ˈtʃɑːrdʒ ˌreɪdʒ/
anger or violence between a driver who is charging their electric vehicle and other drivers who are waiting in a queue to do so

Electric vehicle owners furiously arguing with each other over charging points because there aren’t enough of them available are having to get up in the dead of night to power up their motors. Such is the “charge rage” that marshals are being brought in to police frustrated drivers at motorway service stations.
[dailymail.co.uk, 3 October 2023]

See also road rage

About new words

close-up of a person using a laptop with one hand and a smartphone with the other, with overlaid graphics of speech bubbles and a stylised robot suggesting the use of an online chatbot, used to illustrate the concept of conversational commerce

New words – 20 November 2023

On By Cambridge WordsIn New words, the English language1 Comment
close-up of a person using a laptop with one hand and a smartphone with the other, with overlaid graphics of speech bubbles and a stylised robot suggesting the use of an online chatbot, used to illustrate the concept of conversational commerce
Galeanu Mihai / iStock / Getty Images Plus

conversational commerce noun [U]
UK /ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃən.əl ˈkɒm.ɜːs/ US /ˌkɑːn.vɚˈseɪ.ʃən.əl ˈkɑː.mɝːs/
the use of chatbots and other machine learning technology to make people feel they are talking to a real person when they buy things, ask for advice etc. online

With conversational commerce, customers can get quick answers to important questions, easily purchase items without having to navigate through entire websites, and receive helpful suggestions based on their previously collected customer data, including personalized product recommendations.
[bloomreach.com, 24 August 2023]

immaculate disinflation noun [U]
/ɪˌmæk.jə.lət dɪs.ɪnˈfleɪ.ʃᵊn/
the situation where inflation falls but this does not lead to a rise in unemployment, which would usually be expected

Economists added yet another term to their lexicon in recent months: immaculate disinflation. While there’s no official definition of immaculate disinflation, the phrase is being used to describe a scenario where inflation cools without causing a spike in unemployment … President Joe Biden’s top economic adviser, Jared Bernstein, expressed skepticism about the term. “I wouldn’t call this disinflation immaculate,” he said.
[edition.cnn.com, 6 September 2023]

hyperphysical retail noun [U]
UK /haɪ.pəˌfɪz.ɪ.kᵊl ˈriː.teɪl/ US /haɪ.pɚˌfɪz.ɪ.kᵊl ˈriː.teɪl/
the activity of making a shop more visually appealing and creating interesting experiences for the people who go there

With consumers’ growing appetite for engaging shopping experiences, brick-and-mortar stores now have to find more imaginative ways to compete. That’s why some brands are reinventing their retail spaces to make them so spectacular that visiting them is an emotional experience. Adding sensory and emotional attractions to a shop is a new trend called “hyperphysical retail”.
[medium.com, 29 September 2023]

About new words