power skills noun [plural] UK /ˈpaʊə ˌskɪlz/ US /ˈpaʊ.ɚ ˌskɪlz/ a set of abilities that are essential for doing your job well but are not specific to any one job

Those who have strong communication, organisational and interpersonal skills find they can adapt quickly to new roles and flourish in busy workplaces. For too long these qualities have been known as soft skills, but increasingly voices in the recruitment sphere are referring to them as power skills because of the impact they have on the workplace. [feweek.co.uk, 14 August 2023]

resenteeism noun [U] UK /re.zənˈtiː.ɪ.zᵊm/ US /re.zənˈtiː.ɪ.zᵊm/ staying in a job that makes you very unhappy because it provides security or you have no other job to go to

Unlike quiet quitting, where workers refuse to take on extra tasks, workers with resenteeism can’t help but have a moody, negative attitude. As Jason Lalljee notes, “What makes resenteeism different from normal 9-to-5 blues, in theory, is that you’re more open with your dissatisfaction at work.” I believe that if leaders don’t take action, resenteeism can spread among staff members, sabotaging team morale. [fastcompany.com, 21 April 2023]

See also presenteeism

shift shock noun [C] UK /ˈʃɪft ˌʃɒk/ US /ˈʃɪft ˌʃɑːk/ a feeling of surprise and disappointment when you start a new job and discover that it, or the company, is not as good as you expected

Shift shock can come as a result of different working hours to the ones you thought you would have (perhaps you were told in your interview you’d “probably” be working 9-5, Monday to Friday, but were advised to be flexible to meet business needs… then you got started and learned you’d be working every weekend), having unexpected responsibilities on your to-do list or discovering that a company’s culture isn’t as lovely as it appeared. [stylist.co.uk, March 2023]

About new words

girl dinner noun [C]
UK /ˈgɜːl ˌdɪn.ər/ US /ˈgɝːl ˌdɪn.ɚ/
a simple meal a woman makes for herself, usually consisting of small amounts of different foods, none of which need preparation or cooking

You’re home by yourself and therefore can eat whatever you want for dinner, without having to consider the food preferences or nutrition needs of others. You grab a bag of popcorn, some bread, some cheese and a hunk of chocolate, and settle into the couch for a night of snacking and watching TV. Is there anything more glorious? Welcome to “girl dinner.”
[nytimes.com, 18 July 2023]

lazy girl job noun [C]
UK /ˈleɪ.zi gɜːl ˌdʒɒb/ US /ˈleɪ.zi gɝːl ˌdʒɑːb/
a job that is well paid, does not demand long hours or too much effort, and can often be done remotely

“A lazy girl job is basically something you can just quiet quit,” she says in the two-and-a-half minute video. “There’s lots of jobs out there where you could make, like, 60 to 80 K and not do that much work and be remote.” As an example, she zeroes in on non-technical roles, where she feels the hours fall within a 9-to-5 schedule, and believes the pay is enough to allow for some financial freedom.
[www.bbc.com, 26 July 2023]

tomato girl noun [C]
UK /təˈmɑː.təʊ ˌgɜːl/ US / təˈmeɪ.t̬oʊ ˌgɝːl/
a style for young women based on looking healthy, relaxed and typically feminine, said to be inspired by how they would dress and behave when on holiday in a sunny Mediterranean country

Contrary to the name, being a tomato girl has nothing to do with enjoying the fruit or tomato sauce, but instead centers around everything that could come to mind when thinking of tomatoes: lounging in the Italian summer weather, drinking spritz cocktails and also wearing breezy outfits that incorporate a red-themed color palette.
[wwd.com, 29 June 2023]

About new words

haycation noun [C]
/heɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/
a holiday spent on a farm, during which the guests sometimes help out with the farm work

Check out of the city life for a few days and check into a stay that’s raw, real, and rural. A haycation on a family-owned farm is good for the soul and a fast track to connecting with a more grounded way of life. Pack the car, pop on some hard-wearing denim, and spend a few nights at any one of these regional stays.
[www.australiasgoldenoutback.com, 15 February 2023]

trip lit noun [U]
/ˈtrɪp ˌlɪt/
a type of book whose story takes place in the city or country you are going to for your holiday

This summer, why not take a break with the most escapist “new” book trend – let’s call it “trip lit”. “Trip lit” per se is not a new concept for us, but nevertheless we are delighted to see that the idea of travelling by book is becoming much more mainstream and the pleasures of walking into new environments and wonderful settings are being appreciated.
[tripfiction.com, 4 August 2023]

gamma destination noun [C]
/ˌgæm.ə ˌdes.təˈneɪ.ʃᵊn/
a place to go on holiday that very few other people in the world go to

Over the next five years, high-net-worth explorers will increasingly be avoiding over-crowded “alpha destinations”. Even “beta destinations” such as Rwanda and Antarctica will start to become overly busy at certain times of year. As luxury travellers dream of even more extreme adventures, there is a greater opportunity to devise trips to emerging gamma destinations that offer an array of entirely new experiences.
[globetrender.com, 27 November 2022]

About new words

grandpa chic noun [U]
/ˈgræn.pɑː ˌʃiːk/
a way of decorating and furnishing your home that uses dark colours, a typically masculine style and old, good-quality furniture

The nature of grandpa chic? “It’s essentially a blend of vintage nostalgia and contemporary design,” explains interior designer Artem Kropovinsky. “It celebrates the loved, and the time-tested, infusing spaces with a warm sense of history and comfort.”
[homesandgardens.com, 12 July 2023]

minimaluxe noun [U]
UK /ˈmɪn.ɪ.mə.lʌks/ US /ˈmɪn.ə.mə.lʌks/
the trend of using a small number of high-quality items in simple shapes and neutral colours to create a spacious, elegant look in your home

Minimaluxe is the brand new design trend that will define this decade, making your home more elevated and you more calm. As an interior design trend, minimaluxe has been taking shape since 2020 and has now become a fully formed aesthetic era. It’s about paring back the visual clutter in order to celebrate the things that make you feel wonderful.
[livingetc.com, 4 May 2023]

clustering noun [U]
/ˈklʌs.tə.rɪŋ/
the trend of displaying several small objects in a group as a way of decorating a room

“Clustering is an art form,” she said. “And it’s hard to pull off because if you do it wrong, it can veer toward [being] messy. It’s the art of taking your things and putting them on display in little corners of your apartment.”
[apartmenttherapy.com, 14 February 2023]

About new words

global boiling noun [U]
UK /ˌgləʊ.bəl ˈbɔɪ.lɪŋ/ US /ˌgloʊ.bəl ˈbɔɪ.lɪŋ/
a very fast and sharp increase in world temperatures caused by gases such as carbon dioxide that are collecting in the air around the earth and stopping heat escaping into space

The era of global warming has ended and “the era of global boiling has arrived”, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, has said after scientists confirmed July was on track to be the world’s hottest month on record.
[theguardian.com, 27 July 2023]

heat storm noun [C]
UK /ˈhiːt ˌstɔːm/ US /ˈhiːt ˌstɔːrm/
a period of extremely hot weather and high humidity that lasts several days

Europe is preparing for a “severe heat storm” with a second heatwave pushing temperatures even higher in the coming days and triggering warnings for tourists planning to travel for the school holidays. The new “heat storm” is being triggered by an anticyclone – a large-scale circulation of winds around an area of high atmospheric pressure – pushing north.
[telegraph.co.uk, 16 July 2023]

cooling centre noun [C]
UK /ˈkuː.lɪŋ ˌsen.təʳ/ US /ˈkuː.lɪŋ ˌsen.t̬ɚ/
a place such as a library, museum or other public building where someone can go to cool down in periods of severe hot weather, run as a public service and providing air conditioning, cold water and other facilities

Some community centres and most public library branches have air-conditioned spaces. These facilities become cooling centres when Environment Canada issues a heat warning or declares an extreme heat emergency. You don’t need to register, pay, or show identification to visit a cooling centre.
[vancouver.ca/home-property-development, 28 July 2023]

About new words

autobesity noun [U]
UK /ˌɔː.təʊˈbiː.sə.ti/ US /ˌɑː.t̬oʊˈbiː.sə.t̬i/
the fact of cars being much bigger and heavier than they were in the past

Paris city hall is to impose higher parking fees on owners of SUVs in its battle to reduce pollution in the capital. A councillor from the party that proposed the increased charges said the aim was “to focus on an absurdity: autobesity … the inexorable growth in the weight and size of vehicles circulating in our cities, and particularly in Paris”.
[theguardian.com, 11 July 2023]

motonormativity noun [U]
UK /ˌməʊ.təʊ.nɔː.mə.ˈtɪv.ə.ti/ US /ˌmoʊ.t̬oʊ.nɔːr.mə.ˈt̬ɪv.ə.t̬i /
a way of thinking that means people accept problems and risks related to travelling by car that they would not find acceptable in other aspects of their lives

British people appear to have an in-built acceptance of risks and harms from motor vehicles that they would not accept in other parts of life, with potentially widespread repercussions for how policy decisions are made. Such is the cultural ubiquity of these assumptions, described by the researchers as “motonormativity”, that politicians are less likely to try to tackle issues such as pollution from vehicles or poor driving, they warned.
[modeshift.org.uk, 19 January 2023]

MaaS noun [S]
/ˌem.eɪ.eɪˈes/
abbreviation for “mobility as a service”: a service that allows users to book and pay for all the different types of transport needed for a journey from a single platform such as an app.

Simply put, MaaS is the concept of on-demand transportation, where a single digital platform offers riders the most efficient, seamless connection from point A to point B possible. By combining and coordinating various modes of transportation services, riders can effortlessly reach their destination at any time of the day or night.
[ecolane.com, 17 January 2023]

About new words

candyceutical noun [usually plural]
UK /ˌkæn.diˈsuː.tɪ.kᵊl/ US /ˌkæn.diˈsuː.t̬ɪ.kᵊl/
a small, chewy, coloured sweet that contains vitamins or other ingredients to improve your health

The booming market in chewable supplements needs to be taken seriously because these products “aren’t benign”, health experts have warned. The appearance and marketing of these so-called “candyceuticals” has a role to play in their attraction, experts say.
[diabetes.co.uk, 5 July 2023]

pangenome noun [U]
UK /ˌpænˈdʒiː.nəʊm/ US /ˌpænˈdʒiː.noʊm/
the complete set of genetic material of humans from different geographical and ethnic origins

More than 20 years after scientists first released a draft sequence of the human genome, the book of life has been given a long-overdue rewrite. Unlike the previous reference the new “pangenome” incorporates near-complete genetic sequences from 47 men and women of diverse origins, including African Americans, Caribbean Islanders, East Asians, West Africans and South Americans.
[nytimes.com, 10 May 2023]

robotherapist noun [C]
UK /ˈrəʊ.bəʊ.θer.ə.pɪst/ US /ˈroʊ.boʊ.θer.ə.pɪst/
a robot that can massage someone to treat pain and injury, in a similar way to a physiotherapist

Enter the Backhug: a robotic therapist equipped with 26 mechanical fingers to scan the unique curvature of your spine and press away stiffness in the joints of your back, neck and shoulders. When I was invited to try one of these “robotherapists”, I jumped at the chance. Despite taking regular exercise, I suffer from many complaints, and was intrigued to see what difference six weeks of daily massage could make.
[theguardian.com, 7 July 2023]

About new words