Zoologists tell us that if you watch a group of chickens, you can place them in order of importance because birds with a high statuspeck those with a lower status. While humans don’t peck or – usually at any rate – physically harm one another to demonstrate power, we do use the phrase pecking order to talk about social hierarchy, in other words how important one person is in relation to others.
advergamenoun [C] UK /ˈæd.və.ɡeɪm/ US /ˈæd.vɚ.ɡeɪm/ an advertisement that takes the form of a video game
Disney is sprinkling a new kind of playable ad across Hulu and ESPN. The new ad format, called “advergames,” will let you interact with the ads using your remote. You might see two different advergames to start: Quiz Show and Beat the Clock. [theverge.com, 14 June 2024]
SoLoMonoun [U] UK /ˈsəʊ.ləʊ.məʊ/ US /ˈsoʊ.loʊ.moʊ/ abbreviation for social, local, and mobile: a marketing strategy where information and offers about local companies and services are sent to people on social media or to their mobile phones
SoLoMo is not just a marketing buzzword, but a powerful strategy that can help businesses connect with consumers more effectively in today’s digital world. Harnessing the combined power of social media, local targeting and mobile marketing can give businesses a competitive edge and help drive growth. [mailrelay.com, 20 November 2024]
GEOnoun [U] UK /ˌdʒiː.iːˈəʊ/ US /ˌdʒiː.iːˈoʊ/ the practice of creating content that search engines using AI can understand
Are you familiar with the term “generative engine optimization,” or GEO? Although relatively new, this acronym may become 2025’s biggest marketing buzzword. Here’s why: Gemini, ChatGPT and other large language models play an increasingly important role in search, and GEO is the process of optimizing online content to influence them. [forbes.com, 31 January 2025]
The world’s stock markets are very much in the news these days. With this in mind, I thought I’d take a look at the sort of language that is commonly used to talk about market fluctuation. I’ll focus especially on the colourful terms that describe dramatic changes in trading and share prices.
bluesnarfingnoun [U] UK /ˈbluː.snɑː.fɪŋ/ US /ˈbluː.snɑːr.fɪŋ/ using a Bluetooth connection to access information illegally on someone else’s computer or phone
When someone performs a bluesnarfing attack, they can potentially access sensitive information such as contact lists, emails, text messages, and even calendars. The scary part is that the victim is often unaware of this unauthorized access. In essence, bluesnarfing can be likened to a digital pickpocketing method, where your personal data is quietly snatched from your device without your knowledge. [mcafee.com, 25 February 2025]
digital sobrietynoun [U] UK /ˌdɪdʒ.ɪ.tᵊl səˈbraɪ.ə.ti/ US /ˌdɪdʒ.ə.t̬ᵊl səˈbraɪ.ə.t̬i/ the practice of using computers, smartphones etc. less in order to reduce the negative impact of technology on the environment
Although it can be challenging to quantify the exact impact of digital sobriety, organizations implementing ambitious strategies can reduce their digital carbon footprint by 10-20% over three years. To meet both short-term regulatory requirements and long-term environmental goals, a structured digital sobriety roadmap is essential. [wavestone.com, 13 November 2024]
dark datanoun [U] UK /ˌdɑːk ˈdeɪ.tə/ US /ˌdɑːrk ˈdeɪ.t̬ə/ infomation that companies collect and store on their computers but that they do not then use
Dark data often resides in the hidden recesses of a metaphorical jungle: It comprises unstructured and unused data accumulated over years of digital transactions, interactions, and operations. Dark data is information that has been collected but not actively used or analyzed, leaving its potential benefits to remain speculative. [dataversity.net, 19 December 2024]
We’ve all had the experience of looking forward to something and expecting it to be great but finding, when it happens, that it’s a disappointment. Conversely, we all know what it’s like to have low expectations of something but find that it’s much better than we were expecting. This post looks at language in this area and includes both single words and phrases.
morning shednoun [C] UK /ˌmɔː.nɪŋ ˈʃed/ US /ˌmɔːr.nɪŋ ˈʃed/ a beauty routine that involves applying various products to the face and hair and leaving them overnight, then removing them the next morning
It might not sound unique, but most morning sheds—and therefore, nighttime routines performed about eight hours before them—consist of fairly robust lineups. Think: overnight collagen wrap masks, wrinkle patches, undereye masks, lip masks, mouth tape, jaw straps, hair wrap, and heatless curlers—all worn at once and overnight. [glamour.com, 24 July 2024]
fox toxnoun [U] UK /ˈfɒks ˌtɒks/ US /ˈfɑːks ˌtɑːks/ a cosmetic treatment where Botox injections are used to lift the outer corners of someone’s eyes, making their face look like that of a fox
Fox tox is the latest neurotoxin aesthetic to become buzzy in beauty. “The fox tox look strikes a balance between drama and subtlety by giving your brows a noticeable lift that’s still fresh and natural,” says Marris. She explains that with fox tox, the brows appear snatched while the eyes look elongated and youthful. [newbeauty.com, 5 December 2024]
aufgussnoun [U]
/ˈaʊf.gʊs/ a type of sauna session where a trained expert uses perfumed oils, special lighting and music to create an experience said to be good for physical and mental health
Candlelit and subterranean, Barcelona’s best spa blends Roman-style bathing with expert-led aufguss sessions. Don’t miss its Himalayan salt sauna, which hosts beautifully choreographed infusions, mixing aromatic steam and meditative rituals. [cntraveller.com, 7 February 2025]
“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times: don’t exaggerate!” So goes the old joke. In general, we disapprove of people who exaggerate, that is, make something seem more extreme than it really is. Today’s post looks at some of the many ways we have of describing this behaviour.
mirror lifenoun [U] UK /ˈmɪr.ə ˌlaɪf/ US /ˈmɪr.ɚ ˌlaɪf/ a form of life based on molecules whose structure is the reverse of those found in life on Earth
Efforts to create ‘mirror life’ – life whose building blocks have the opposite handedness to life on Earth – should be halted, an international group of experts has recommended. While the ability to create such lifeforms is likely many years away, the researchers say that work towards making them should be stopped until there is ‘compelling evidence’ that they won’t cause harm. [chemistryworld.com, 18 December 2024]
electric plasticnoun [U] UK /ɪˌlek.trɪk ˈplæs.tɪk/ US /ɪˌlek.trɪk ˈplæs.tɪk/ a type of plastic that can conduct electricity
Finding ways to connect the human body to technology could have broad applications in health and entertainment. A new “electric plastic” could make self-powered wearables, real-time neural interfaces, and medical implants that merge with our bodies a reality. [singularityhub.com, 25 October 2025]
jelly batterynoun [C] UK /ˈdʒel.i ˌbæt.ər.i/ US /ˈdʒel.i ˌbæt̬.ɚ.i/ a type of battery that is soft and stretchy because it is made of a gel-like substance
Researchers from our department have developed soft, stretchable ‘jelly batteries’ that could be used for wearable devices or soft robotics, or even implanted in the brain to deliver drugs or treat conditions such as epilepsy. The self-healing jelly batteries can stretch to over ten times their original length without affecting their conductivity – the first time that such stretchability and conductivity has been combined in a single material. [ch.cam.ac.uk, 17 July 2024]
From time to time, we all complain, whether it’s about the poor quality of service in a restaurant, a noisy neighbour, or rain that won’t stop. (Some people – and I certainly know one or two – never stop complaining!) This post will provide you with a range of interesting alternatives to ‘complain’ and ‘complaint’ and will explain the differences between them.
DeFinoun [U]
/ˈdiːˌfaɪ/ abbreviation of deregulated finance: a financial system that uses cryptocurrency, rather than traditional banks, to allow people and companies to buy and sell products and services from each other
The traditional banking system is difficult to access for unbanked and underbanked populations around the world, often due to geographic, economic and documentation barriers. DeFi makes financial services available to anyone with an internet connection and a digital wallet. [forbes.com, 25 September 2024]
intention economynoun [U] UK /ɪnˈten.ʃən iˌkɒn.ə.mi/ US /ɪnˈten.ʃən iˌkɑː.nə.mi/ a system in which AI learns what people are likely to want to buy or do in the future, with companies using the information to create corresponding products and services
In other words, in the intention economy, companies will learn what you think about and what motivates you in order to predict what you may do in any given situation. They will then sell that information to others who can benefit from knowing your future actions before you make them. The way intention economy companies will collect such precious data — your very thoughts, behaviors, and their evolution over time — is by your use of their LLM-powered AI chatbots. [fastcompany.com, 25 January 2025]
wealthtechnoun [U]
/ˈwelθtek/ the use of technology to help people manage, and increase, the money they have invested
The demand for transformational financial services capabilities will drive growth of more than $6 billion in the global wealthtech solutions market, according to a new report. Wealthtech solutions typically work with robo-advisors, digital platforms, and fintech applications, enabling them to provide low cost and efficient personalized investment advice, automated portfolio management, and streamlined financial planning. [investmentnews.com, 4 September 2024]
