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

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

sad beige adjective
/ˌsæd ˈbeɪʒ/
a way of describing the trend of dressing babies and young children in pale brown and other neutral shades because these colours are thought by the parents to be more tasteful and stylish than bright colours

What is “sad beige,” and why do some parents love it so much? The muted palette is hot now: influencers’ Instagram grids are full of photos of children wearing shades ranging from ivory to tan. There’s even a backlash against the so-called “sad beige” trend from people who believe children need a little more color in their lives.
[today.com, 18 January 2023]

traumedy noun [U]
UK /ˈtrɔː.m.ə.di/ US / ˈtrɑː.mə.di/
a type of comedy that involves someone talking about past traumatic events in their life in a funny way

Standup has certainly taken a sharp turn towards inner trauma in recent years, giving rise to the dismissive portmanteau term “traumedy” to describe the comedic habit of processing disturbing experiences live on stage. And the 2023 Edinburgh fringe now looks like the peak of the trend.
[theguardian.com, 20 August 2023]

crying make-up noun [U]
/ˈkraɪ.ɪŋ ˌmeɪk.ʌp/
a style of make-up that makes the wearer look as though they are, or have recently been, crying

“Crying make-up” is taking over TikTok, but has the “sad girl aesthetic” finally gone too far? Noor Mubarak, a psychological wellbeing practitioner, agrees that the crying make-up trend can be problematic. “For those who are struggling with feelings of despair and tearfulness, it can feel trivialising to see people trying to look like they are struggling for aesthetic purposes.”
[glamourmagazine.co.uk, 28 October 2022]

About new words

beige flag noun [C]
/ˌbeɪʒ ˈflæg/
a sign that someone you have started a romantic relationship with is a little strange or boring but not enough for you to end the relationship

According to the TikTok users who have latched on to the term in the past month, a beige flag is an odd trait in a romantic prospect that is not quite a deal breaker, but not exactly a plus, either. As one user put it, a beige flag makes a potential partner or a partner pause and say “Huh?” for a few seconds before carrying on with the relationship.
[nytimes.com, 7 June 2023]
See also red flag

ghostlighting noun [U]
UK /ˈgəʊst.laɪ.tɪŋ/ US /ˈgoʊst.laɪ.t̬ɪŋ/
the act of ending a relationship with someone by suddenly stopping all communication with them, then trying to make them believe that this did not actually happen and they must have imagined it

Ghostlighting mixes together ghosting – which is where a potential love interest disappears without an explanation – with the more sinister gaslighting, which is an emotional abuse or manipulation tool where a person purposefully tries to twist information to make their partner feel as though they are in the wrong.
[www.mirror.co.uk, 25 June 2023]
See also ghosting, gaslighting

groundhogging noun [U]
UK /ˈgraʊnd.hɒg.ɪŋ/ US /ˈgraʊnd.hɑːg.ɪŋ/
the act of dating the same type of person again and again, even though it never ends in a successful relationship

In dating, groundhogging means you date the same person repeatedly, which never works out for you. Think back on your relationships. Do they all tend to start and end the same way? Do your past significant others have a lot in common? If you answered yes, groundhogging could very well be to blame for your relationship woes.
[marriage.com, 14 March 2023]
See also Groundhog Day

About new words