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]

About new words

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]

About new words

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]

About new words

monkey dumpling noun [C]
/ˈmʌŋ.ki.dʌm.plɪŋ/
a group of macaque monkeys standing very close together in order to stay warm

When temperatures drop, macaques often huddle together to pool their body heat, forming what’s known as a saru dango, or “monkey dumpling.” This behavior is common among the 23 species of macaques, all of which form complex matriarchal societies. It is especially important for Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), which live in colder climates than any other primate aside from humans. On frigid days, their need for warmth clearly outweighs their desire for personal space.
[www.theatlantic.com, 29 June 2017]

starballing noun [U]
UK /ˈstɑː.bɔːl.ɪŋ/ US /ˈstɑːr.bɑːl.ɪŋ/
the phenomenon where starfish curl themselves into a spherical shape and get carried along the seabed by tidal currents

Researchers at Plymouth University observed the species Asterias rubens rolling along the seabed with arms curled into a spheroid shape – a phenomenon they’ve termed “starballing”. It is not yet known whether the technique is a deliberate one that helps the otherwise slow-moving species to change their location, but some were recorded raising a single arm into the water column prior to moving as if to test the conditions.
[The Press and Journal, 13 April 2017]

dog manor noun [C]
UK /ˈdɒg.mæn.əʳ/ US /ˈdɑːg.mæn.ɚ/
a luxurious shelter for a dog to sleep in outside

Our customers and their dogs typically live indoors so we see our dog manor as an extra that gives a pet more comfort – it is the dog’s own house that has all the comforts of an indoor living room, making the whole experience of staying outdoors more fun and enjoyable.
[www.dailymail.co.uk, 13 June 2017]

About new words

root-to-stem adjective
/ˌruːt.tə.ˈstem/
referring to a trend in cooking that involves using as much of a fruit or vegetable as possible

Root-to-stem cooking is a huge food trend. The concept is simple. The entire part of the fruit or vegetable can, and should be, used. Although stems, leaves or rinds haven’t been used as frequently, they can be used in all types of dishes. More and more recipes are incorporating these lesser used items, which helps to combat food waste.
[www.foodsided.com, 15 November 2017]

dark kitchen noun [C]
UK /dɑːk.ˈkɪtʃ.ᵊn/ US /dɑːrk.ˈkɪtʃ.ᵊn/
a place where food is prepared and cooked that is then delivered to people’s homes by a courier service

But the grimy spot is just a short moped ride from the gleaming office towers of Canary Wharf and upmarket docklands apartments, and is therefore the perfect location for the latest idea from Deliveroo, the food courier service. It is setting up dozens of “dark kitchens” in prefabricated structures for restaurants that want to expand their businesses without opening expensive high street premises.
[The Guardian, 28 October 2017]

menu hacking noun [U]
/ˈmen.juː.ˌhæk.ɪŋ/
in a restaurant, the activity of asking for food or drinks, or combinations of food or drinks, that are not on the menu

At its heart, menu hacking is great for the customer. Whether they build their meal completely from scratch or simply exchange their triple-cooked chips for a healthy salad, the option to adapt the menu helps to ensure great customer service. However it’s important to manage customer expectations. Staff should be knowledgeable about the requests that can and can’t be accommodated.
[www.nisbets.co.uk, 19 March 2017]

About new words

generation mute noun [U]
/ˌdʒen.əˈreɪ.ʃᵊnˈmjuːt/
a way of referring to the generation of young people who tend to use written forms of communication, such as texting, rather than making phone calls

A survey by the regulator Ofcom has found a new “generation mute”: only 15% of 16 to 24 year olds consider phone calls the most important method of communication, compared with 36% who prefer instant messaging. In America, a study found that 80% of millennials … felt more comfortable conversing via text or online.
[Sunday Times, 5 November 2017]

cyberloafing noun [U]
UK /ˈsaɪ.bə.ləʊf.ɪŋ/ US /ˈsaɪ.bɚ.loʊf.ɪŋ/
the activity of spending working hours engaged in online activities that are not work related, such as checking social media sites and surfing the internet

“Cyberloafing is a compulsive behaviour for many people,” she tells Stylist. “It’s an attempt to replace something that we’re lacking, but we never get that ‘filled-up’ feeling. So it just goes on and on with the empty promise of replacing the things we actually want, like a fulfilling work day or a career in an industry we’re passionate about.”
[Stylist, 24 August 2017]

infobesity noun [U]
UK /ɪn.fəʊˈbiː.sə.ti/ US /ɪn.foʊˈbiː.sə.t̬i/
the state of having access to so much information that it leads to difficulties with decision-making, concentration and understanding

Have you ever felt so overwhelmed that you couldn’t even make a simple decision? Infobesity affects every company due to innovations like the internet, apps and sensors. Did you know a typical entrepreneur checks her email 50 to 100 times a day? Moreover, 60 percent of computer users feel the need to check their email in the bathroom.
[Huffington Post, 26 July 2017]

About new words

zebra noun [U]
UK /ˈzeb.rə/, /ˈziː.brə/ US /ˈziː.brə/
a new company that aims to improve society as well as to make a profit

Aniyia … says she thinks too many investors in Silicon Valley are missing opportunities to be part of profitable, sustainable companies because they’re chasing things that aren’t real – unicorns. Zebras, by contrast, she says, are real. I meet Aniyia … at DazzleCon, the first gathering of the zebras, where founders and investors met in person to discuss business strategies and, if nothing else, to realize they’re not alone.
[www.bbc.co.uk/news, 23 November 2017]

kleptopredation noun [U]
UK /ˌklep.tə.prɪˈdeɪ.ʃᵊn/ US /ˌklep.toʊ.prɪˈdeɪ.ʃᵊn/
the act of eating prey that has just hunted so that the predator eats the prey of its prey too

More likely, kleptopredation serves nutritional needs. This way of catching prey boosts nudibranch intake substantially and is so clever that it seems likely sea slugs aren’t the only kleptopredators, the researchers say. The cunning hunting shown by slugs from Sicily could be happening elsewhere. Certainly, the biologists say, their findings suggest marine food webs are more complex than previously believed.
[qz.com, 2 November 2017]

ghost species noun [C]
UK /ˈgəʊst.ˌspiː.ʃiːz/ US /ˈgoʊst.ˌspiː.ʃiːz/
an ancient subspecies of human for which no tangible evidence, such as fossils, exists

“This unknown human relative could be a species that has been discovered, such as a subspecies of Homo erectus, or an undiscovered hominin,” says Gokcumen. “We call it a ‘ghost’ species because we don’t have the fossils.”
[www.newatlas.com, 24 July 2017]

About new words

maranoia noun [U]
/ˌmær.əˈnɔɪ.ə/
the anxiety experienced by marathon runners before their race, especially the fear that they may become ill or injured and not be able to compete

Maranoia can be all-consuming, but you have just trained for a marathon and you’re in peak physical condition, so you’re strong enough to deal with a few mental setbacks. Now is the time to be resilient and soldier on. You are a runner and you can get through this!
[www.therunningbug.com, no date]

vertical walking noun [U]
UK /ˈvɜː.tɪ.kᵊl ˈwɔː.kɪŋ/ US /ˈvɝː.t̬ə.kᵊl ˈwɑː.kɪŋ/
a method of moving yourself between floors of a building using your arms and legs to propel yourself and with the aid of a system of springs and pulleys

Vertical walking, an experimental prototype by Rombout Frieling Lab designed “to move ourselves between floors in a building,” exploits the potential of the human body, materials and intelligent design to require less than 10% of the effort required by taking a flight of stairs – and without the need for any sort of ancillary power supply. The ultimate aim of the designers is to allow people to “move harmoniously through our vertical habitats of the future.”
[www.archdaily.com, 24 October 2016]

Bokwa noun [U]
UK /ˈbɒk.wɑː/ US /ˈbɑːk.wɑː/ TRADEMARK
a type of exercise in which you do dance moves and step aerobics, usually in a class with other people

Aditi Pandey, a Belapur resident and mother of a six-year-old, credits Bokwa for her high energy levels. Enrolled for a year in a Bokwa class in the area, Pandey said that it is a very simple dance form and requires no memorisation of steps. “It is a cardio-stimulating activity and involves a little bit of hip-hop and step aerobics. We move according to English letters and jazz it up with shimmies or freestyle moves. There is no involvement of any choreographer or intense training.”
[The Times of India, 4 June 2017]

About new words

range anxiety noun [U]
UK /ˈreɪndʒ æŋˈzaɪ.ə.ti/ US /ˈreɪndʒ æŋˈzaɪ.ə.t̬i/
the worry experienced by the driver of an electric car that the vehicle will run out of power before it reaches its destination

There could be no better time to buy an electric car as finally the infrastructure to support these vehicles seems to be catching up. Range anxiety is a dark cloud hanging over electric cars in the minds of customers, but the new investment in charging networks could greatly alleviate this.
[www.express.co.uk, 7 November 2017]

droneway noun [C]
UK /ˈdrəʊn.weɪ/ US /ˈdroʊn.weɪ/
a long, level piece of ground with a specially prepared smooth, hard surface on which drones take off and land

It sounds like something one might find in California’s “Silicon Valley” rather than on the wild and often windy west coast of Scotland. But the world’s first dedicated “droneway” will see the remotely controlled aircraft cross from the mainland to Stornoway on the island of Lewis. Telecoms experts hope to show that, with the use of established routes, drones can travel safely alongside commercial aircraft.
[www.scotsman.com, 11 September 2017]

multicopter noun [C]
UK /ˈmʌl.ti.kɒp.təʳ/ US /ˈmʌl.ti.kɑːp.tɚ/
a type of helicopter that has more than one rotor

The Volocopter VC200 made aircraft history as the first certified multicopter to fly with a person onboard. Designed by German company e-volo, this electric aircraft gives people a glimpse into a future where, one day, ubers and taxis travel above street traffic to their next destination.
[www.iqintel.co.uk, 27 April 2016]

About new words