Amazon effect noun [U]
UK /ˈæm.ə.zᵊn.ɪˈfekt/ US /ˈæm.ə.zɑːn.əˈfekt/
the increase in e-commerce and the resulting closure of many physical shops, named after the online retailer Amazon, the success of which has had a significant influence on shopping habits

Retail. Cloud computing. Logistics. Film and television production. Grocery shopping. The list of industries and business processes disrupted by Amazon Inc. is long, and could get longer. Traditional banking may be the next area to face the “Amazon effect,” argues a new report from management consulting firm McKinsey.
[www.marketwatch.com, 25 October 2017]

Silicon Slopes noun [plural]
UK /ˌsɪl.ɪ.kən.ˈsləʊps/ US /ˌsɪl.ə.kən.ˈsloʊps/
an area in Utah where there are a large number of information technology and computer companies

In a recent conversation in his office, 20 minutes north of Salt Lake City, Skonnard, 44, described how he hoped to close the skills gap among tech workers worldwide and increase Pluralsight’s revenue from between $100 million and $200 million today to $500 million by 2020. As for the area that tech entrepreneurs have taken to calling Silicon Slopes, Skonnard says, “We have a vision for what Utah can be.”
[www.forbes.com, 3 April 2018]

Zoogler noun [C]
UK /’zuː.gləʳ/ US /’zuː.glɚ/
an employee of Google who works in the company’s Zurich office

The Zooglers have table tennis and pinball, but also a band rehearsal room, a cinema, a gym and a Lego room. There are circular curtained-off meeting rooms, as in a dystopian hospital. There are cable cars to sit in for no reason. There’s a room with a piano in it. And free good food.
[The Guardian, 15 January 2018]

About new words

space fever noun [U]
UK /ˈspeɪsˌfiː.vəʳ/ US /ˈspeɪsˌfiː.vɚ/
a medical condition in which an astronaut’s body temperature is higher than usual because of the effects of weightlessness

“This space fever, as we may call it, has potential implications for long-term space flights in terms of astronauts’ health, wellbeing and support,” the researchers wrote in their study, published in the journal Scientific Reports.
[www.independent.co.uk, 6 January 2018]

space gene noun [C]
/ˈspeɪs.dʒiːn/
a part of the DNA in the human body that undergoes significant change when the person is in space

Scientists are looking for what they’re calling a “space gene.” By sequencing the RNA in the twins’ white blood cells, researchers found more than 200,000 RNA molecules that were expressed differently between the brothers. It is normal for twins to have unique mutations in their genome, but scientists are “looking closer to see if a ‘space gene’ could have been activated while Scott was in space,” according to NASA.
[www.ukbusinessinsider.com, 1 February 2017]

space sculpture noun [C]
UK /ˈspeɪsˌskʌlp.tʃəʳ/ US /ˈspeɪsˌskʌlp.tʃɚ/
an object made from a heat-resistant material launched into space as a piece of art

An artificial diamond is set to light up the night sky as part of a new art project. Orbital Reflector is a ‘space sculpture’ constructed of a lightweight material similar to Mylar. It is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX rocket in 2018, and its creator says once it inflates 350 miles above Earth, it will be visible with the naked eye.
[www.dailymail.co.uk, 29 September 2017]

About new words

workleisure noun [U]
UK /ˈwɜːk.leʒ.əʳ/ US /ˈwɝːk.liː.ʒɚ/
a fashionable style of clothing that is as comfortable as leisurewear but also formal enough for wearing to work

Simply put, workleisure is office-appropriate clothing that feels like your favorite yoga pants. Think comfortable and stylish.This game-changing wardrobe category is made of technical, durable materials. You can expect incredibly stretchy, low-maintenance fabrics cut into flattering work/dinner/happy hour-appropriate pieces.
[www.brevitybrand.com, 20 November 2017]

schmoo noun [C]
/ʃmu:/
a jumper without a hole for the head to go through, intended to be wrapped around the wearer’s shoulders

August is always silly season, but the fashion industry doesn’t always join in with such humorous abandon. We haven’t even gotten to the schmoo yet. The what? Oh, it’s a jumper – minus the traditional hole for your head to go through – designed to be worn over the shoulders for extra warmth. “It’s like a child’s security blanket,” schmoo inventor Michael Kors said after his New York show in which they debuted.
[The Pool, 17 August 2017]

drouser noun [C]
UK /ˈdraʊ.zəʳ/ US /ˈdraʊ.zɚ/
an item of clothing comprising a dress attached to a pair of trousers

You know how sometimes you can’t make up your mind about wearing a dress or a trouser? Now, you can wear both at the same time. Yes, a hybrid clothing item consisting of the two is now a trend. Don’t confuse it with putting on a skirt over a pair of pants though. The drouser, as it is termed, is one garment by itself. Just have a look at the designs by Elie Saab for the Spring 2017 Haute Couture runway.
[www.star2.com, 25 February 2017]

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astral divorce noun [C]
UK /ˈæs.trəl.dɪˈvɔːs/ US /ˈæs.trəl.dɪˈvɔːrs/
a type of therapy session during which someone is helped to move on from a past relationship that is still causing them unhappiness

Astral divorces are a “cutting of ties and contacts” with a past relationship and are performed by psychics. The aim is to rid you of old, residual energy from an ex that may be holding you back and to help move you into a new phase of your life, ready for love again.
[Sunday Times, 10 September 2017]

LAT noun [U]
/ˌel.eɪ.ˈtiː/
abbreviation for living apart together: a type of close romantic relationship where the partners choose not to live together

Recent research demonstrates that there are other ways of establishing long-lasting, high-quality relationships without committing to marriage or living together. However, U.S. society has yet to recognize LAT as a legitimate choice. If more people—young and old, married or not—saw LAT as an option, it might save them from a lot of future heartache.”
[www.sciencedaily.com, 9 February 2017]

stashing noun [U]
/ˈstæʃ.ɪŋ/
the practice of not telling anyone about the person with whom you are in a romantic relationship

Stashing is a super fun dating trend in which someone is dating someone else, but has decided to hide them away from everyone in their life … A victim of stashing is hidden from every other part of the stasher’s life – from their tagged photos to their casual chats with their parents. Why? Because that way, they’re able to pretend that they’re not really dating the person they’re stashing, meaning they can justify getting with other people, doing whatever they fancy, and being generally inconsiderate and awful.
[Metro, 19 August 2017]

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parennial noun [C]
/pəˈren.i.əl/
a parent who is a member of the millennial generation, born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s

Parennials spent their formative years steeped in personal technology. As a result they’re “high-information parents,” said Rebecca Parlakian, the program director for Zero to Three, an organization that has been studying new parents since 1977. “The good news is that parents know more about child development than ever before,” she said. “Google is the new grandparent, the new neighbor, the new nanny.”
[New York Times, 4 November 2017]

monster parent noun [C]
UK /ˈmɒn.stə.ˌpeə.rᵊnt/ US /ˈmɑːn.stɚ.ˌper.ᵊnt/
a parent who is excessively authoritarian and over-protective, and who tends to interfere in their children’s education

The monster parent has become a worryingly prevalent archetype in Hong Kong, and the problem appears to be worsening, experts say … Dr Ian Lam Chun-bun, associate professor and associate head in the department of early childhood education at the Education University, acknowledged that the stereotypical monster parent was becoming increasingly common. “I think it is a phenomenon that is intensifying in Hong Kong,” he said.
[South China Morning Post, 22 July 2017]

daddymoon noun [C]
/ˈdæd.i.muːn/
a holiday taken by a man who is about to become a father, as a supposed last chance to relax with friends before the birth of his child

He found out about the concept from his buddy, J. C. Simbana, who went on his own daddymoon in Las Vegas last year, before the birth of his son. “Obviously baby showers are something that are in place and have been done for a while,” Mr. Simbana, 41, said. “I was looking for a way to celebrate with my friends, this transition in my life.”
[New York Times, 30 October 2017]

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