dry texting noun [U]
/ˌdraɪ ˈtekstɪŋ/
sending very short text messages, sometimes with one-word answers to questions, which may suggest the sender is not interested in the person they are texting

Sometimes, dry texting is harmless. Other times, it can quietly erode a connection, making you or the other person feel ignored or unimportant. In relationships, whether romantic, friendly, or professional, the tone of communication matters as much as the words themselves.
[makeheadway.com, 21 August 2025]

social snacking noun [U]
UK /ˌsəʊ.ʃəl ˈsnækɪŋ/ US /ˌsoʊ.ʃəl ˈsnækɪŋ/
short or casual interactions that make someone feel more connected to others

Social snacking is something different. It’s usually quick and incidental—it just happens to occur while we’re doing something else—but it’s not the primary focus or intention. It might be a few brief words exchanged with the barista while they’re making your morning order [or] a shared joke with someone in a supermarket queue.
[signsmag.com, 1 August 2025]

otrovert noun [C]
UK /ˈɒt.rə.vɜːt/ US /ˈɑː.trə.vɝːt/
someone who may be outgoing and friendly but does not enjoy interacting with groups of people and often feels on the outside of society

If you’re not a joiner, secretly feel like an outsider in any group, feel awkward in groups and uneasy in public, you might be an otrovert, a personality type defined by a sense of “non-belonging”. Otroverts are outsiders who are treated like insiders. Contrary to being shunned, like other outsiders, they are always welcome into the fold. They simply don’t feel like they belong to the group and never did.
[afr.com, 23 July 2025]

About new words

broccoli perm noun [C]
UK /ˈbrɒk.ᵊl.i ˌpɜːm/ US /ˈbrɑː.kᵊl.i ˌpɝːm/
a hairstyle where the back and sides are short but the top is longer and curly

The first images from the movie’s set showed that Kent’s new look consists of voluminous curls on top, with short, discreet sides — a style that is now being referred to as the “broccoli perm.” From TikTok to bros, and from bros to the streets, today, the broccoli perm is everywhere. Or at least, everywhere there are kids under the age of 20.
[english.elpais.com, 17 January 2025]

bixie noun [C]
/ˈbɪk.si/
a hairstyle that is a cross between a bob and a pixie cut

The bixie is exactly what it sounds like. Half-bob, half-pixie, the vibe is casual and undone, like a grown-out pixie cut, or a choppier, more mussed-up bob. Pixie Geldof has the most perfect bixie cut, in my opinion (hers used to be a pixie, but she let it grow out).
[vogue.co.uk, 13 June 2025]

mullet gardening noun [U]
UK /ˈmʌl.ɪt ˌgɑː.dᵊn.ɪŋ/ US /ˈmʌl.ɪt ˌgɑːr.dᵊn.ɪŋ/
an approach to gardening that leaves the front part well-maintained and neat while allowing the back to grow wild, in a similar way to the mullet hairstyle

Meet mullet gardening: tidy at the front, wild at the back. This approach to the management of borders, lawns and even entire gardens puts wildlife at the forefront while saving you effort – here’s how it works and why you should try it in your garden.
[rhs.org.uk, 18 July 2025]

About new words

thirstwave noun [C]
UK /ˈθɜːstweɪv/ US /ˈθɝːstweɪv/
a period of hot, dry weather that causes soil and plants to lose a very large amount of water to evaporation

During a thirstwave, the atmosphere essentially goes into overdrive, demanding more moisture than usual. From 1981 to 2021, thirstwaves across the United States averaged 0.8 millimeters per day above normal, lasted about 4 days, and occurred nearly 3 times per growing season.
[earth.com, 14 April 2025]

firewave noun [C]
UK /ˈfaɪəweɪv/ US /ˈfaɪrweɪv/
a series of fires that burn strongly and out of control on an area of grass in a city, usually triggered by very hot weather

Cities across the UK are facing a growing threat from an emerging phenomenon called “firewaves” as temperatures rise due to climate change, scientists have warned. Guillermo Rein, professor of fire science at Imperial College London, has been working alongside the London Fire Brigade to help predict when conditions are ripe for a “firewave”.
[bbc.co.uk, 14 August 2025]

smog wave noun [C]
UK /ˈsmɒg ˌweɪv/ US /ˈsmɑːg ˌweɪv/
a period of extreme and long-lasting air pollution, where a mixture of smoke, gases, and chemicals in the atmosphere make it difficult to breathe and can be harmful for health

Authorities in eastern Pakistan have closed public parks, zoos, museums, historical buildings and playgrounds for 10 days as a record-breaking “smog wave” choked 18 districts of Punjab province, leaving tens of thousands of people ill. Lahore residents went about their lives in a twilight gloom that lingered over the city for hours, reducing visibility to around 100 metres.
[jerseyeveningpost.com, 8 November 2024]

About new words

best friend dictionary noun [C]
UK /ˌbest frend ˈdɪk.ʃᵊn.ᵊr.i/ US /ˌbest frend ˈdɪk.ʃᵊn.er.i/
a set of inside jokes and made-up words and phrases used by close friends

You know you’re bonded with your best friend when you develop words and phrases of your own, almost like a secret language. On TikTok, this tradition has been dubbed the “best friend dictionary” and it already has millions of views … The best friend dictionary is iconic, but even more impressive is how quickly everyone partaking in this trend seems to know the definitions.
[bustle.com, 14 May 2024]

friendflation noun [U]
/frendˈfleɪ.ʃᵊn/
the rising cost of going out with friends

Can you put a price on friendship? Apparently you can, and it isn’t cheap. The rising cost of socialising, known as “friendflation”, is “becoming a serious pressure point” for many adult friendships, said The Mirror. “Birthdays aren’t just a few drinks at the pub, they’re weekends away, lavish brunches or fancy dinners”, and “even going for a coffee is nearly a fiver”.
[theweek.com, 1 October 2025]

medium friend noun [C]
/ˈmiː.di.əm ˌfrend/
someone who is closer than an acquaintance but not a very close friend

I personally don’t think that it makes sense to go around calling people medium friends to their face. This term is more about internal taxonomy so that you can name and understand the phenomenon without feeling like you’re the only person experiencing this or feeling bad for it.
[reeswrites.com, 1 June 2025]

About new words

ber month noun [C, usually plural]
UK /ˈbɜː ˌmʌnθ/ US /ˈbɝː ˌmʌnθ/
one of September, October, November or December

The ber months are calling. Whether it’s September’s gentle sun, October’s adventures, November’s tropical retreats or December’s festive warmth, there’s a perfect escape waiting for you. Imagine waking up to golden beaches, exploring vibrant cities or discovering wellness retreats that leave you completely recharged.
[notjusttravel.com, 4 September 2025]

October theory noun [S]
UK /ɒkˈtəʊ.bə ˌθɪə.ri/ US /ɑːkˈtoʊ.bɚ ˌθɪr.i/
the belief that October is a like a second New Year, giving people the chance to set new goals and make important life changes

Many users across the platform have increasingly been posting about the “October theory,” and what that means for the rest of the year. According to Chloe Van Berkel, a content creator on TikTok, October is almost like New Year’s Day. The month kicks off the start of the fourth quarter of the year … a reflective period in which people look back on their year to see what they’ve accomplished.
[independent.co.uk, 3 October 2024]

summerween noun [C or U]
UK /ˌsʌm.ə.ˈwiːn/ US /ˌsʌm.ɚ.ˈwiːn/
a celebration of Halloween held in the summer instead of on 31 October

Summerween is a playful blend of summer vibes and Halloween thrills. Imagine sipping your favorite icy drink while surrounded by spooky skeletons and glowing pumpkins. It’s the best of both worlds! This quirky trend is catching on, giving Halloween enthusiasts an extra reason to celebrate and decorate months in advance.
[parade.com, 14 July 2025]

About new words

lawnmower poetry noun [U]
UK /ˈlɔːnˌməʊ.ə ˌpəʊ.ɪ.tri/ US /ˈlɑːnˌmoʊ.ɚ ˌpoʊ.ə.tri/
a type of poetry that uses the image of the lawnmower and the act of mowing the lawn to explore a variety of themes

British poets including Philip Larkin and Andrew Motion have driven a “lawnmower poetry” microgenre, using the machine to explore childhood, masculinity, violence, addiction, mortality and much more, new research shows. “Lawnmower poetry had its highpoint in the late 20th century but now would be a good moment for a revival,” says the study’s author, Francesca Gardner, from Cambridge’s English Faculty and St Catharine’s College.
[cam.ac.uk, 17 May 2025]

mood reading noun [U]
/ˈmuːd ˌriː.dɪŋ/
a method of choosing books to read based on the way you feel at the time, rather than reading books in a fixed order

I wrote about this recently when talking about tackling my TBR pile, but mood reading has a lot going for it. Only you know what you feel like reading, what aligns with your emotions. Don’t force a book on yourself, pick according to whatever mood you’re in. If that’s classic 80’s horror or a romance novel with werewolves, so be it.
[bookshelfdiscovery.com, 20 July 2025]

booktivist noun [C]
UK /ˈbʊk.tɪ.vɪst/ US /ˈbʊk.tə.vɪst/
a person who uses what they read in books to help them try to bring about political or social change

Guides invent 72 new “empowering” badges that reflect their lives. Among them is a badge called … “booktivist”, a portmanteau of “book” and “activist” that aims to help girls discover what empowers them through reading.
[thetimes.com, 21 July 2025]

About new words

vibe coding noun [U]
UK /ˈvaɪb ˌkəʊ.dɪŋ/ US /ˈvaɪb ˌkoʊ.dɪŋ/
a way of creating computer programs using AI to generate code from prompts, focusing on what the program should do rather than on the details of the code itself

What is vibe coding? A computer scientist explains what it means to have AI write computer code − and what risks that can entail. Now, just as you can ask ChatGPT to spin up a recipe for a favorite dish, you can now ask generative AI tools to write computer code for you. Andrej Karpathy, an OpenAI co-founder who previously led AI efforts at Tesla, recently termed this “vibe coding.”
[theconversation.com, 4 June 2025]

glazing noun [U]
/ˈgleɪ.zɪŋ/
the tendency of AI programs to use excessive praise and flattery towards the user

Everyone’s panicking about AI “glazing.” Even if you’ve never heard the Gen-Z slang, you probably know what I’m talking about—that tendency of ChatGPT to shower you with praise, calling every mediocre idea “brilliant” and every half-baked thought “insightful.”
[jeremyutleydesign.com, 28 July 2025]

AEO noun [U]
UK /ˌeɪ.iːˈəʊ/ US /ˌeɪ.iːˈoʊ/
abbreviation for “answer engine optimization”: a form of SEO that allows AI tools to answer users’ specific questions, instead of simply giving links to websites

AEO is a digital marketing strategy focused on optimizing content to directly answer user queries in search engine results. [It] focuses on answering user questions directly. Rather than simply targeting keywords, AEO targets specific queries. These are often phrased as questions and aim to deliver the most relevant, concise answer possible.
[aioseo.com, 14 August 2025]

About new words

SIM farm noun [C]
UK /ˈsɪm ˌfɑːm/ US /ˈsɪm ˌfɑːrm/
a device that can hold several SIM cards, used by criminals to send very large numbers of texts and calls at the same time, with the aim of defrauding people

The new offence will make the possession or supply of SIM farms without a legitimate reason illegal, shutting down a key route used by criminals to exploit the public, and will carry an unlimited fine in England and Wales and a £5,000 fine in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
[www.gov.uk, 24 April 2025]

scam farm noun [C]
UK /ˈskæm ˌfɑːm/ US /ˈskæm ˌfɑːrm/
an organized network of people who, often against their will, participate in criminal activities that involve defrauding people

Scam farms are organised criminal operations where scams are run at scale, often through call centres or coordinated online activity. But what’s more disturbing is the growing link between scam farms and human trafficking. Some scam farm workers have been lured with fake job offers, only to have their passports taken, their communications monitored, and their lives threatened.
[https://cyberwardens.com.au, 19 July 2025]

FaaS noun [U]
/ˌef.eɪ.eɪˈes/
abbreviation for “farming as a service”: a business model where farmers rent specialized machinery, technology, and services as they need them rather than buying them

FaaS startups are improving agriculture by offering end-to-end solutions for sustainable and tech-driven farming. From precision agriculture to farm electrification, these 10 innovative startups are reshaping food production in 2025.
[startus-insights.com, 1 March 2025]

About new words