set-jetting noun travelling to places because they have been the locations for films or TV programmes

Set-jetting is the latest travel trend that puts you on the set of your favorite movies, TV shows or even book settings.

[www.abc2news.com 08 February 2016]

teraproject noun an extremely large project, especially one costing over a trillion dollars

The problem, in the Age of the Teraproject, is that governments are still really, really bad at managing even mere billion-dollar projects.

[www.theglobeandmail.com/ 02 January 2016]

STEAM abbreviation the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math considered as a group

In recent years there’s been an increasing emphasis on encouraging STEM education – science, engineering, technology, and math – but other advocates have advocated STEAM, which adds art into the mix.

[WNYC: Leonard Lopate Show (US culture and current affairs talk show) 08 January 2016]

About new words

sliver building noun an extremely tall, narrow skyscraper

It seems that we are seeing more super-tall buildings, including those sliver buildings on fifty-seventh street in midtown.

[WNYC: Leonard Lopate Show (US culture and current affairs) 21 January 2016]

shadow flipping noun the practice of selling a house and then re-selling it several times before completing the contract

An angry former homeowner who believes he’s a victim of ‘shadow flipping’ is speaking out about a Richmond real estate investor, who has been sued by several other homeowners, in the hopes he can serve as a warning to others in our overheated housing market.

[http://bc.ctvnews.ca/ 11 February 2016]

nanotecture noun small-scale, experimental architecture

Take a look at 11 other examples of ‘nanotecture’ – from the small, to the not-so-small.

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/ 28 March 2016]

About new words

unschooling noun an educational method or concept that involves children directing their own learning by following their own interests rather than by having a structured curriculum

Once my unschooling son announced he wants to get a Ph.D. in biology I decided I had to get serious about making sure he can get into college.

[education.penelopetrunk.com 02 January 2016]

She is passionate about unschooling and self-directed learning, Attachment Parenting, homebirthing, holistic health, and homesteading.

[www.citykidshomeschooling.com 02 January 2016]

lifehack noun an action you can take to make your life easier or better

This likeable pop-science show takes the current craze for lifehacks and steers it gently into the absurd.

[The Guardian (UK broadsheet) 02 January 2016]

blue belt noun an area of protected coastline

The UK government has extended the coastal ‘blue belt’ of protected marine areas

[www.bbc.co.uk 17 January 2016]

Britain’s ‘Blue Belt’ haven for our marine life doubles
Almost two dozen new conservation zones protecting UK waters will save rare and exotic creatures from fishing and seaside development

[www.telegraph.co.uk (article title) 17 January 2016]

About new words

circular economy noun an economic model that prioritises the longevity of goods, for instance by sharing or recycling them

Amsterdam is fast becoming a leading circular-economy city, with businesses such as MUD Jeans and Fairphone committed to a circular economy business model.

[http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/ 29 January 2016]

collaborative economy noun the practice of collaborating with others on owning, renting, exchanging or donating goods and services

The management guru Jeremy Rifkin argues that the ‘Internet of Things’ has triggered an economic shift from capitalist markets to a collaborative commons, while the journalist Paul Mason claims the ‘collaborative economy’ represents proof of a viable post-capitalist operating system for the 21st century.

[GQ (UK men’s magazine) February 2016]

gig noun informal a short-term job

But the idea of a gig is only alluring if you know you can hit the road when it gets joyless. Otherwise it’s just an old word for a job you need that you can’t count on having tomorrow.

[NPR: Fresh Air (US culture interviews) 11 January 2016]

About new words

singlism noun the stigmatization or marginalisation of single people

SINGLISM: IT’S COMPLICATED

[http://www.pqmonthly.com/ 01 February 2016]

Are you a victim of singlism?

[Gracia (UK celebrity magazine) 01 February 2016]

otherize verb to make someone seem to be outside of and unlike the members of a particular group

‘The Trump campaign has attempted to otherize other candidates’,[…] that’s conservative commentator S. E. Cupp on CNN on Super Tuesday.                    

[NPR: All Things Considered (US news) 06 March 2016]

With ‘Otherize,’ Pundits Reach Outside The Dictionary To Describe Politics

[http://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/ (US news, headline) 06 March 2016]

neomasculinity noun an extreme ideology of male supremacy

The founder of a controversial ‘neomasculinity’ group called off a string of international meetups, including two scheduled in Iowa, after warnings from Des Moines police and other agencies this week…    

[http://www.desmoinesregister.com 04 February 2016]

About new words

craftivism noun the use of hand-crafted objects, such as knitted items, in public places as a way of raising awareness of certain issues

These woolly acts are all examples of ‘craftivism’ or ‘craft activism,’ whose practitioners deliver large-scale political and public art statements with knitted and crocheted pieces.
[http://www.winnipegfreepress.com 06 February 2016]

Brexiter/Brexiteer noun one who favours Brexit, (=Britain leaving the EU)

The Brexit debate is more nuanced, but the Brexiteer’s dream of unshackling the UK Europe, the ‘In’ camp will argue, is equally emotional and incoherent.
[http://www.telegraph.co.uk 22.02.16]

Here’s how to argue with a Brexiter – and win
[http://www.theguardian.com 20 February 2016]

Trumpism noun the views and cultural and political statements of Donald Trump

It’s the causes that are already being lost that are able to generate the sort of anxiety and fear that’s the heartbeat of the culture wars. […] And we see that today obviously with Trumpism…
[WNYC: Leonard Lopate Show (US culture and current affairs) 13 January 2016]

About new words

creeping obesity noun obesity which results from incremental weight gain over a number of years

More than just a holiday glow: Experts reveal taking a vacation can actually save your LIFE (but there is still a risk of ‘creeping obesity’)

[www.dailymail.co.uk 27 January 2015]

Vacations contribute to Americans’ ‘creeping obesity,’ study suggests

[www.minnpost.com/ 28 January 2016]

breakfastarianism noun the practice of eating breakfast foods at any meal and not merely the morning meal

There are a couple of words being bandied around. One is ‘brinner’ and the other is ‘breakfastarianism’.

[BBC Radio 4 [news programme] 25 January 2016]

reducetarian noun someone who is making a determined effort to eat less meat (and often other animal-derived products)

Want To Help The Environment, End Animal Suffering, And Improve Your Health? Become A Reducetarian!

[http://www.collective-evolution.com 01 February 2016]

About new words

foodfie noun informal a photograph of the food that you are eating

Foodfie on Instagram

[www.mundimago.com/foodfie 23 January 2016]

faceswapping noun the practice of swapping the faces of people in photographs, usually on mobiles, for humorous effect

I hardly ever get to say this, but when it comes to faceswapping, I was an early adopter.

[http://www.theguardian.com/ 08 March 2016]

Twitter quitter noun informal a high-profile user of Twitter who closes their account, usually after being trolled

So is he a real Twitter quitter? This is the fourth time he’s left the site so past evidence suggests he’ll be back, and he’s not the only celebrity to have ditched Twitter.

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/ 01 February 2016]

About new words

upscaling noun the process of using a piece of equipment to improve the image on a TV screen

The upscaling – which ‘converts’ your HD TV signal to 4k – produced results almost as good as Netflix’s native 4k.

[GQ (UK men’s magazine) February 2016]

screencast noun a digital recording of a computer screen that enables output to be captured and shared

Instead of uploading and editing a screencast video, a far easier path is to transform a few short videos into animated GIFs to create step-by-step instructions.

[www.pcworld.com 19 February 2016]

FlatCam noun a nearly flat, lensless camera that uses millions of pinholes to allow light to reach a light-sensitive chip to record the image

Right now the images this FlatCam can produce are about as good as the first conventional digital cameras.

[NPR: All Things Considered (US news and information) 15 February 2016]

About new words

wonky veg noun misshapen vegetables, sold at a cheaper price, often in a bargain box

We’re trialling these fab wonky veg boxes as part of our ‘Beautiful on the Inside’ range in 128 stores in our continued effort to tackle food waste across the supply chain and to help famers.

[http://your.asda.com/news-and-blogs/wonky-fruit-veg-boxes 04 February 2016]

In recent months, Tesco, Asda and Morrisons have introduced wonky veg lines that incentivise customers to buy ‘imperfect’ vegetables.

[http://www.theguardian.com 29 March 2016]

power bowl noun a dish, typically served in a bowl, that contains several very healthy ingredients, usually including fresh vegetables and a protein source

A reasonable question: In this, the Year of our Bowl 2016, what truly distinguishes the ‘power bowl,’ an artfully curated and composed selection of vegetables which may be pickled or roasted but are certainly beautiful […]

[http://www.theawl.com/ 19 February 2016]

Forget salad plates and sushi platters: Why today’s foodies are all about the new Instagram-worthy ‘power bowl’

[www.dailymail.co.uk 22 February 2016]

tsiperifery noun a type of wild pepper; the peppercorns have a citrus flavour

A wild pepper called tsiperifery has been winning over food connoisseurs around the world.

[http://www.bbc.co.uk/ 12 February 2016]

About new words