zombie battery noun [C]
UK /ˌzɒm.bi.ˈbæt.ᵊr.i/ US /ˌzɑːm.bi.ˈbæt̬.ɚ.i/
a used battery that gets thrown away or added to normal household recycling

“Zombie batteries” have caused hundreds of fires at waste management facilities and recycling plants, endangering workers’ health, according to campaigners … If they are not recycled properly and end up in household waste, dead batteries can still cause dangerous incidents, hence the nickname “zombie”.
[news.sky.com, 26 October 2020]

decomponentise verb [T]
UK /ˌdiːkəmˈpəʊ.nənt.aɪz/ US /ˌdiːkəmˈpoʊ.nənt.aɪz/
to remove the individual components of a device such as a mobile phone in order to recycle them

“Your old phone should go back to the manufacturer, who can ‘decomponentise’ it and put all of its materials back into the system, to make new phones or feed them into a different industry,” she says. The foundation’s research shows that this would reduce manufacturing costs by up to 50 per cent per device.
[thetimes.co.uk, 22 October 2020]

rollable adjective
UK /ˈrəʊl.ə.bᵊl/ US /ˈroʊl.ə.bᵊl/
used to describe a mobile phone whose screen can be expanded into the size of a tablet

Still, LG isn’t the only company working on a rollable phone – the Oppo X 2021 concept phone also rolls, as does a concept device from TCL. There’s no guarantee either of those will ever actually go on sale, but sooner or later there are likely to be multiple rollable phones on the market, so hopefully some of them are affordable.
[techradar.com, 13 January 2021]

About new words

anthropause noun [S]
UK /ˈæn.θrə.pɔːz/ US /ˈæn.θrə.pɑːz/
a period of time during which human activity and movement is greatly reduced

Over the past few months, many countries around the world went into lockdown to control the spread of COVID-19. Brought about by the most tragic circumstances, this period of unusually reduced human mobility — which we suggest be coined ‘anthropause’ — may provide important insights into human–wildlife interactions in the twenty-first century.
[nature.com, 22 June 2020]

frugal bottle noun [C]
UK /ˌfruː.gᵊl.ˈbɒt.ᵊl/ US /ˌfruː.gᵊl.ˈbɑː.t̬ᵊl/
a type of bottle made from recycled paper, normally used to hold wine or other drinks

Although glass can be recycled, it is very carbon-intensive to make. The frugal bottle, made from recycled paperboard, is five times lighter than a glass one and has a carbon footprint up to six times (84%) lower than a glass bottle.
[theguardian.com, 20 December 2020]

carbon counting noun [U]
UK /ˈkɑː.bᵊn.kaʊnt.ɪŋ/ US /ˈkɑːr.bᵊn.kaʊnt.ɪŋ/
the activity of calculating what impact the food and drink we consume has on the environment

Environmentally conscious foodies and restaurateurs are turning their attention to the planet’s health with “carbon counting”. Vegan milk brand Oatly will be labelling its products with carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) [and] east London’s newest hipster hangout Kraft Dalston is reducing its CO2 footprint by 75 per cent by eliminating unnecessary packaging and deliveries.
[thetimes.co.uk, 3 January 2021]

About new words

slow map noun [C]
UK /ˈsləʊ.mæp/ US /ˈsloʊ.mæp/
a map that shows the best walking routes between different places

Part of the government’s official transport advice during the pandemic has been “walk, if you can” … However, once you venture away from your local neighbourhood, it is not always obvious how to find the best walking route to a nearby village or – if you are feeling adventurous – a neighbouring town or city. That’s what is hoped will be solved with the slow map.
[bbc.co.uk, 16 October 2020]

sound walk noun [C]
UK /ˈsaʊnd.wɔːk/ US /ˈsaʊnd.wɑːk/
a walk during which the person walking concentrates on listening to the sounds around them, or listens to a recording of music or a narration designed to accompany the walking route

Despite the logistical challenges of creating sound walks during the pandemic, entries are up 44% this year, and the number of people registering to attend Sound Walk September events (which went virtual this year) quadrupled. Designed to be experienced in isolation, the sound walks experience feels like the perfect fit for the very deep hole we currently find ourselves in.
[theguardian.com, 16 November 2020]

walking around video noun [C]
UK /ˌwɔː.kɪŋ.əˈraʊnd.vɪd.i.əʊ/ US /ˌwɑː.kɪŋ.əˈraʊnd.vɪd.i.oʊ/
a video posted on a social media platform of someone walking around a particular town or city, designed to give the viewer a virtual tour

Sometimes, though, all our frayed nerves and bored brains crave is a sense of return to pre-Covid public life, casual social interaction, streetscapes and regional citybreaks … Enter “walking around videos,” a burgeoning YouTube trend that’s flown under the radar for years but has quietly garnered millions upon millions of views, especially in recent months.
[hk.asiatatler.com, 20 August 2020]

About new words

above-the-mask adjective
UK /əˌbʌv.ðə.ˈmɑːsk/ US /əˌbʌv.ðə.ˈmæsk/
describes a beauty treatment or product that is used on an area of the face above where a mask is worn, such as the eyes or forehead

While the percentage of Americans getting manicures and pedicures has dropped 55% from 2019 to 2020, many above-the-mask beauty services have stayed strong. Permanent makeup (including eyebrow tinting and microblading) have remained steady year over year. BOTOX®, fillers, and similar treatments have been consistent, as well.
[mindbodyonline.com, 4 December 2020]

skin fasting noun [U]
UK /ˈskɪn.fɑːst.ɪŋ/ US /ˈskɪn.fæst.ɪŋ/
the practice of using no, or very few, skincare products on your face for a set period of time, thought by some people to be good for the skin

When it comes to putting skin fasting into practice, the options range from a complete break over the course of a few days to simply downscaling your skincare operation and opting for a more minimalist approach. Although the idea behind skin fasting sounds promising, unsurprisingly, there aren’t many professionals that advocate the complete cessation of your skincare routine.
[vogue.co.uk, 5 April 2020]

sauna blanket noun [C]
UK /ˈsɔː.nə.blæŋ.kɪt/ US /ˈsaʊ.nə.ˈblæŋ.kɪt/
a type of sleeping bag that emits infrared rays on the inside to heat the body in a similar way to a sauna

Now the hottest bit of bed-related wellness paraphernalia to arrive is the infrared sauna blanket. This sweaty “sleeping bag” claims to bring all the benefits of an infrared sauna session without the schlep to a gym or sauna studio. You can do it in the comfort of your home, away from other sweaty bodies and without the drama of communal sauna etiquette.
[getthegloss.com, 17 December 2020]

About new words

half-tourist noun [C]
UK /ˈhɑːf.tʊə.rɪst/ US /ˈhæf.tʊr.ɪst/
someone who travels to a different city or country and spends part of the time working remotely while they are there

Ed Francis … is among a new breed of remote workers, or “half-tourists”. After giving up his office in Soho during lockdown, he spent July and August living and working in Palma, Mallorca, with his girlfriend, and is now considering a permanent move. “It took me a while to settle into doing things differently,” he said. “I had to free myself from the nine-to-five mindset.”
[theguardian.com, 25 September 2020]

schoolcation noun [C]
/ˌskuːl.ˈkeɪ.ʃᵊn/
a family holiday during which the children receive online schooling

As the school year for most U.S. children begins remotely, the schoolcation has evolved from a social media hashtag into a full-blown phenomenon embraced by major vacation brands such as Four Seasons, Playa Hotels & Resorts and more. Interested? As someone who has recently returned from a schoolcation in Sun Valley, Idaho, here are a few tips to help parents plan.
[travelpulse.com, 9 September 2020]

revenge travel noun [U]
/rɪˈvendʒ.ˈtræv.ᵊl/
the activity of travelling and going on holiday more than usual as a reaction to not having been able or allowed to do so for a period of time

Revenge travel is this sinister buzzword that has been doing the rounds in the last few months to describe the angsty and bottled-up demand for travel that many of us are currently feeling. But is revenge as sweet as we’d like? The jury is still out on that.
[outlookindia.com, 15 August 2020]

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