agrivoltaics noun [S]
UK /ˌæg.rɪ.vəʊlˈteɪ.ɪks/ US /ˌæg.rə.voʊlˈteɪ.ɪks/
the use of the same piece of land to grow crops and to create energy through solar panels

Putting solar panels on farmland, known as agrivoltaics, has been a bit of a political hot-potato in some parts of Europe and the U.S. For environmental engineer Chad Higgins, the choice between farmland and energy is a false one. There has to be thoughtful design, he says, but “our research indicates they can coexist and even create mutual benefits”. Indeed, agrivoltaics projects are springing up across the globe, especially in Asia.
[reuters.com, 20 March 2023]

Pyrocene noun [S]
UK /ˈpaɪ.rə.siːn/ US /ˈpaɪ.roʊ.siːn/
the present era, in which there are more frequent and more serious wildfires as a result of climate change

Geologists have renamed the present era as the “Pyrocene”, the age of fire, taking over from the Holocene epoch which dated from the last Ice Age. Fires are increasing in prevalence and intensity everywhere, adding to the cascading list of interlocking environmental disasters.
[independentaustralia.net, 8 November 2022]

gigafire noun [C]
UK /ˈɡɪɡ.ə.faɪəʳ/ US /ˈɡɪɡ.ə.faɪr/
a wildfire that burns more than 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) of land

What initially began as 37 separate fires caused by lightning strikes came together to form California’s first gigafire, a term used to describe fires that burn at least a million acres of land. The gigafire ranks at the top of the state’s five largest wildfires in modern history, all in one year.
[laist.com, 5 October, 2022]

About new words

salt tooth noun [S]
UK /ˌsɒlt ˈtuːθ/ US /ˌsɑːlt ˈtuːθ/
If you have a salt tooth, you like eating savoury foods, especially crisps, chips, etc.

Would you always choose crisps over chocolate? You’re not alone. While many of us may admit to a sweet tooth, more than 40 per cent of people have a weakness for salty rather than sugary flavours. Experts call this phenomenon a salt tooth, and it’s becoming more common. For while some people are genetically programmed to crave salt, others are now developing a salt tooth as a result of the prevalence of highly processed, salty food in our diet.
[irishnews.com, 18 June 2023]

food noise noun [U]
/ˈfuːd ˌnɔɪz/
the constant thoughts about food that some people have when they are trying to lose weight

Losing weight is never an easy feat. Besides implementing new nutrition and lifestyle choices, Another thing that can make losing weight (and keeping it off) more difficult is something called “food noise.” If you’ve ever wondered why you’re hungry all the time, even if you just ate, or find yourself consistently planning your next meal, you may be dealing with food noise.
[parade.com, 3 May 2023]

lion diet noun [S]
/ˈlaɪ.ən ˌdaɪ.ət/
a type of eating plan in which someone eats only meat from certain animals and no other types of food for a limited period of time

Are you a complete carnivore and love your meat? Well, then the lion diet may be something to your liking. A meat-based diet that focuses on eliminating major food groups and beverages from your meals, the eating pattern involves only consuming salt, water, and meat from ruminant animals (including beef, lamb, goat, bison, and deer). But why? To identify food sensitivities.
[indianexpress.com, 10 May 2023]

About new words

spathroom noun [C]
UK /ˈspɑːθ.ruːm/ US /ˈspæθ.ruːm/
a bathroom that has been designed to be very clean, comfortable and relaxing, like a spa

More people are looking to incorporate wellness into their home, particularly in the bathroom. The focus is on creating a “spathroom”, a bathroom/spa hybrid that promotes serenity and calm. Good lighting is a spathroom essential, as light has a huge effect on our wellbeing.
[county.wedding, 24 February 2023]

bed rotting noun [U]
UK /ˈbed ˌrɒt.ɪŋ/ US /ˈbed ˌrɑː.tɪŋ/
the habit of spending a lot of time in bed to relax

As experts and introverts continue to tout the benefits of self-care, “bed rotting” has become one of the most popular forms of recouping. While it may sound extreme “bed rotting” just refers to lying in bed for long periods of time … While people have laid around and stayed in bed for long periods of time for years, many Gen Zers online note that “bed rotting” has to be intentional and come with no guilt to really count and be regenerative.
[nypost.com, 29 May 2023]

table gown noun [C]
/ˈteɪ.bᵊl ˌgaʊn/
an expensive tablecloth usually made from shiny or sparkling material and highly decorated

Summerill & Bishop, which has been adorning the smartest tables since launching its fashion-forward collection of table linens eight years ago, has upped the ante with its new Couture collection of glamorous, sequin-bedecked “table gowns”. With a camouflage design inspired by the mottled bark on the London plane trees that surround the brand’s Holland Park flagship, each cloth is embellished with upwards of 260,000 sequins embroidered on to pure French linen.
[telegraph.co.uk, 8 June 2023]

About new words

thirst trip noun [C]
UK /ˈθɜːst ˌtrɪp/ US /ˈθɝːst ˌtrɪp/
a holiday lasting a few days, taken during a period when there are no public holidays

With nearly 100 days between President’s Day and Memorial Day weekend, Americans are entering the longest stretch of the U.S. calendar without a federally sanctioned day off. This 3-day weekend drought leaves people parched for a getaway. New search data from Hotels.com shows a new trip type is quenching our thirst this spring: thirst trips, or short weekend stays that satisfy our desire for a day off by the pool.
[hospitalitynet.org, 22 February 2023]

slowmad noun [C]
UK /ˈsləʊ.mæd/ US /ˈsloʊ.mæd/
a digital nomad (= a remote worker who travels to different locations) who spends a lot of time in one place

Many years later, with my teenage dreams still in mind, I left my Parisian apartment and became a slowmad. I started wandering in Europe until I discovered the concept of coliving and something I didn’t know I needed, a sense of community. Fast forward to early 2022 when I encountered the place I now call home: Château Coliving.
[chateaucoliving.com, 19 May 2023]

lisness noun [U]
/ˈlɪz.nəs/
a type of travel where a longer holiday will include some time spent working, attending a business conference etc.

Between business and pleasure, we’ve identified a paradigm shift that we call “lisness”. The reverse of the old way – of tacking a day or two of relaxation onto a business trip – this is about planning a leisure trip and creating time in which to work. We’re seeing client travels extending into month-long ventures, with a 75/25 leisure/business split. With time to labour and time to lounge (or explore).
[blacktomato.com, 30 May 2023]

About new words

infla-dating noun [U]
UK /ˈɪn.fləˌdeɪ.tɪŋ/ US /ˈɪn.fləˌdeɪ.t̬ɪŋ/
going out with someone you have a romantic relationship with to do things that are not very expensive

As you can guess by its name, infla-dating is a trend where people are going on cheaper dates. This trend works for people who are in a long-term relationship as well as singles on a first date. Because with everything as expensive as it is right now, it’s not financially practical to have a date at fancy restaurants anymore.
[yourtango.com, 16 April 2023]

wokefishing noun [U]
UK /ˈwəʊk.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/ US /ˈwoʊk.fɪʃ.ɪŋ/
pretending to care more than you actually do about social problems such as racism and inequality in order to attract someone you want to have a romantic relationship with

So, what’s “wokefishing?” Don’t fall prey to this sneaky dating trend. Wokefishing is like the love child of being “woke” and “catfishing,” and it’s as deceptive as it sounds. Wokefishing is all about pretending to be socially conscious to attract potential partners. These modern-day chameleons will say anything to make you think they’re as progressive as can be.
[distractify.com, 17 May 2023]

untyping noun [U]
/ˈʌn.taɪ.pɪŋ/
choosing to start a romantic relationship with someone who isn’t the type of person you normally find attractive

To hell with consistency: “untyping” has hit the dating scene to shake things up, perhaps for the better. Rather than succumb to dating burnout, singles are thinking outside the box and parting ways with the norms in a partner they once considered to be dealbreakers.
[myimperfectlife.com, 27 May 2023]

About new words

four-hands dinner noun [C]
UK /ˌfɔː.hændz ˈdɪn.ər/ US /ˌfɔːr.hændz ˈdɪn.ɚ/
a special dinner cooked in an expensive, often famous restaurant by two senior chefs

Modern German restaurant Heimat’s head chef Peter Find and Towngas’ CulinArt 1862 head chef Stanley Wong are coming together for a special four-hands dinner happening in March and April. Celebrating their 30 years of friendship as well as their shared German heritage, the two chefs have prepared unique eight-course menus complete with sake and German wine pairings.
[timeout.com, 28 February 2023]

alpha-footing noun [U]
/ˈæl.fəˌfʊtɪŋ/
the activity of choosing not to wear shoes in certain situations, such as in business meetings, said to be a sign of wealth and power

Goodbye loafers, beefed-up boaters and clunky cowboy boots – the new summer shoe for men is … nothing. Yup, the ultimate power move right now is alpha-footing, aka taking off your shoes completely. The naked foot look was dramatically brought to the screen by Lukas (Alexander Skarsgard) in Succession.
[thetimes.co.uk, 23 May 2023]

pandemic brain noun [S]
/pænˈdem.ɪk ˌbreɪn/
a series of symptoms including forgetting things and not being able to think clearly that people are said to experience as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, even if they have not had Covid

From early on in the pandemic, college students reported strange symptoms even if they didn’t have COVID-19 — like forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, and an inability to think clearly. News outlets and social media users labeled the phenomenon “pandemic brain.” New research published in the Journal of American College Health suggests that college students may have been experiencing pandemic brain at the start of the 2020–2021 school year through spring 2022.
[bestcolleges.com, 24 April 2023]

About new words

supercloud noun [S]
UK /ˈsuː.pə.klaʊd/ US /ˈsuː.pɚ.klaʊd/
a single computing system where services such as storage, apps etc. from different providers can be easily accessed by the user

The answer proposed by the supercloud concept is to create another abstraction layer above this that operates agnostically of whatever cloud platform or platforms are running below it. This is the supercloud, where applications can be run in containers or virtual machines, interfacing with any cloud platforms underneath.
[forbes.com, 4 April 2023]

exascale adjective
/ˈek.sə.skeɪl/
An exascale computer is very powerful, able to carry out one quintillion (10¹⁸) mathematical operations per second

Exascale supercomputers are the next frontier in computing. They can quickly analyze massive volumes of data and realistically simulate many of the extremely complex processes and relationships behind the fundamental forces of the universe—in a way that’s never been done before. Many industries and systems could be affected, including precision medicine, climate science, and nuclear physics.
[mckinsey.com, 22 November 2022]

sky computing noun [U]
UK /ˌskaɪ kəmˈpjuː.tɪŋ/ US /ˌskaɪ kəmˈpjuː.t̬ɪŋ/
a way of accessing services, apps etc. on different systems on the internet through a top level to which all the systems belong

Sky computing has been described as “the layer above the clouds.” The term refers to a newer model of cloud computing known as multi-cloud, where organizations may pick and choose different cloud services from different operators according to their specific requirements.
[techbehemoths.com, 20 July 2022]

About new words

RTO abbreviation
UK /ˌɑː.tiːˈəʊ/ US /ˌɑːr.tiːˈoʊ/
abbreviation for “return to office”: going back to the workplace after working from home during and after the Covid pandemic

The very existence of the RTO debate — with its emphasis on the physical location of employees — is really a failure to prioritize the needs of a business. There’s no single RTO answer that works across the board. What does work, no matter the company or the department, is a focus on clients and shareholders.
[forbes.com, 19 April 2023]

rust-out noun [U]
/ˈrʌst.aʊt/
a feeling of extreme boredom and lack of enthusiasm, caused by not having enough to do at work or working on unfulfilling tasks for too long

The vast majority of us are familiar with the concept of burnout, especially those who work in fast-paced or high-pressure industries. But, according to experts, a lesser-known workplace phenomenon has now emerged: rust-out, burnout’s bored, disengaged cousin. Rust-out is commonly caused by “moving too slow” or being “still for too long”.
[harpersbazaar.com, 11 May 2023]

climate quitting noun [U]
UK /ˈklaɪ.mət ˌkwɪt.ɪŋ/ US /ˈklaɪ.mət ˌkwɪt̬.ɪŋ/
the act of leaving your job because the organization where you work is not doing enough to fight climate change

New research released by KPMG today shows that Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors are influencing employment decisions for almost half of UK office workers, with millennials and younger workers driving the growing trend of ‘climate quitting’ – seeking out a more environmentally friendly job.
[kpmg.com, 24 January 2023]

About new words

password child noun [C]
UK /ˈpɑːs.wɜːd tʃaɪld/ US /ˈpæs.wɝːd tʃaɪld/
a humorous way of referring to a parent’s favourite child, supposedly because the parent will often use the name of that child as a computer password

It’s common knowledge that older parents are notoriously bad at remembering passwords, which is probably why they use the same thing repeatedly. And that usually involves using one of their kids’ names, so they have less of a chance of forgetting it. Hence, the creation of the password child. While every family has their own, they all tend to have one thing in common: They are mom or dad’s undeniable “favorite.”
[intheknow.com, 24 March 2023]

lucky girl syndrome noun [U]
UK /ˌlʌk.i ˈgɜːl ˌsɪn.drəʊm/ US /ˌlʌk.i ˈgɝːl ˌsɪn.droʊm/
the idea that you can make good things happen simply by imagining them happening and believing you are lucky

“Lucky girl syndrome” is the latest trend doing the rounds online, with the concept being that if you repeatedly tell the universe how fortunate you are, that you will be rewarded with that promotion, proposal or pay rise, depending on what you’re wishing for.
[harpersbazaar.com, 23 January 2023]

Generation Beta noun [S]
UK /dʒen.əˌreɪ.ʃən ˈbiː.tə/ US /dʒen.əˌreɪ.ʃən ˈbeɪ.t̬ə/
a way of referring to the group of people who will be born between 2025 and 2039

Before we know it, Generation Beta will be here. Gen Beta will be born between 2025 and 2039. These new kids, just like the other younger generations, are projected to have different values, behaviors, and preferences than older generations. The technological advances they will live through will make today’s children look like amateurs.
[studentcenteredworld.com, 5 July 2022]

About new words

rich mom energy noun [U]
UK /ˌrɪtʃ mɒm ˈen.ə.dʒi/ US /ˌrɪtʃ mɑːm ˈen.ɚ.dʒi/
the confident attitude and simple, elegant way of dressing that suggests a woman has a lot of money

Rich mom energy was similarly inspired by the lifestyle (and fashion) choices of the superrich. An extension of the quiet luxury trend, it also denotes ostensibly low-key garments—neutral shades, simple cuts, no logos—that are nonetheless ultraluxurious and wildly expensive.
[glamour.com, 17 April 2023]

blandstanding noun [U]
/ˈblænd.stæn.dɪŋ/
wearing clothes that are simple and practical, although very expensive

The quiet, understated rise of blandstanding: standing out amid the sea of gimmicky TikTok trends is an altogether more subtle look. It’s time for blandstanding. Which is? A self-assured appreciation of the familiar, the quotidian, the (maybe just a little bit) boring.
[standard.co.uk, 20 February 2023]

quiet luxury noun [U]
UK /ˌkwaɪ.ət ˈlʌk.ʃər.i/ US /ˌkwaɪ.ət ˈlʌk.ʃər.i/
a fashion trend where clothing is of very high quality, well-cut and in neutral colours

Meanwhile, on TikTok, fashion fans are deeply invested in “quiet luxury,” trading Y2K-inspired trends for minimalist styles and muted colour palettes, and becoming a phenomenon in the process. Thanks to the latter, the search term “quiet luxury” has surpassed 35 billion views on TikTok … Quiet luxury is nothing new. Tech billionaires like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg have worn three-figure t-shirts to work for decades.
[refinery29.com, 9 May 2023]

About new words