skychology noun [U]
UK /skaɪˈkɒl.ə.dʒi/ US /skaɪˈkɑː.lə.dʒi/
the act of looking up at the sky, thought by some people to be good for your wellbeing

Introducing “skychology” – the simple act of looking upwards, towards the sky. It has been found to have a positive effect on our wellbeing. The practice of skychology was coined by coaching psychologist Paul Conway. Paul says: “The sky can often mirror how we are feeling, and remind us that everything is constantly changing – including our emotions and how we are feeling”.
[countryliving.com, 6 October 2022]

soil bathing noun [U]
/ˈsɔɪl ˌbeɪ.ðɪŋ/
the practice of immersing your body in wet earth as a way of improving your mental health

Given the connection between soil and wellbeing, it’s no surprise that soil-related experiences could be the next big thing in wellness-based tourism and hospitality, with some companies already offering experiences that connect people quite literally with the earth. Typical offerings like organic plant-based menus will be built upon with experiences like soil bathing, mud spa treatments and food foraging tours.
[nzherald.co.nz, 16 May 2022]

mind gym noun [C]
/ˈmaɪnd ˌdʒɪm/
a place or club where you can go to do classes and have treatments that improve your mental health

When I got an email inviting me to visit London’s first-ever “mind gym”, it’s safe to say I jumped at the opportunity. As someone who writes a lot about mental health and wellbeing, I not only wanted to see what on earth a mind gym actually is but also whether the classes and therapies on offer would make a noticeable difference to how I felt when I went in.
[stylist.co.uk, October 2022]

About new words

virovore noun [C]
UK /ˈvaɪə.rə.vɔːʳ/ US /ˈvaɪ.rə.vɔːr/
an organism that eats viruses

What if science could harness an organism that had the power to eat viruses? … According to a study published in late 2022 on PNAS, a previously unknown microbe called a “virovore” does just that. Newly defined, virovores sustain themselves by consuming viruses, just like all other living creatures survive by converting energy from other animals and plants.
[grunge.com, 25 February 2023]

Novid noun [C]
UK /ˈnəʊ.vɪd/ US /ˈnoʊ.vɪd/
someone who has never had the Covid-19 virus

If you consider yourself a “Novid,” in other words, someone who has never had COVID, are you mistaken, special, or just plain lucky? Researchers are trying to answer that question.
[cbsnews.com, 4 August 2022]

superdodger noun [C]
UK /ˈsuː.pə.dɒdʒ.əʳ/ US / ˈsuː.pɚ.dɑː.dʒɚ/
someone who is resistant to a particular virus

Over the course of human history, scientists have identified only two instances of true virus superdodgers. That is, where a specific mutation in their genes makes people completely resistant to a virus. So that it slides off their cells, “like water sliding off a glass window,” as Casanova puts it.
[npr.org, 7 September 2022]

About new words

frauxmage noun [U, C]
UK /ˈfrəʊ.mæʒ/ US /ˈfroʊ.mɑːʒ/
cheese made without using any products from animals

The Mauxarella is a soft and moist frauxmage offering a mild but fulfilling taste. This frauxmage may be grated and melts beautifully in the oven to create delectable dishes like pizza and nachos.
[vegancheese.co, accessed 1 March 2023]

chaos cooking noun [U]
UK /ˈkeɪ.ɒs ˌkʊk.ɪŋ/ US /ˈkeɪ.ɑːs ˌkʊk.ɪŋ/
a style of cooking that uses different types of food that are not normally eaten together to create a dish

In a nutshell, chaos cooking is combining ingredients that typically don’t go together into a cohesive dish. It’s the latest social media trend on TikTok, the hashtag #chaoscooking has over 151 million views. For some, chaos cooking is a more “aggressive” take on fusion cuisine.
[thedailymeal.com, 2 February 2023]

butter candle noun [C]
UK /ˈbʌt.ə ˌkæn.dᵊl/ US /ˈbʌt̬.ɚ ˌkæn.dᵊl/
a candle made from butter which is lit so that the butter softens or melts

Late last year, we saw the first spark of interest for butter candles, but as we’ve moved into the holiday season, interest has heated back up again. Why not try one for your holiday table? A butter candle is literally a candle sculpted out of butter instead of wax. Just set it out with a big hunk of crusty bread and light the edible wick.
[tasteofhome.com, 18 January 2023]

About new words

dirty wellness noun [U]
UK /ˌdɜː.ti ˈwel.nəs/ US /ˌdɝː.t̬i ˈwel.nəs/
activities that involve being outside in nature and getting dirty, thought to be good for people’s physical and mental health

When I first heard about “dirty wellness,” a philosophy that espouses leaving our sanitized, hermetically sealed existence behind and reconnecting with good old-fashioned bacteria-laden dirt, I wanted to try it without really knowing what it entailed. It sounded fanciful and fun.
[arlingtonmagazine.com, 6 October 2022]

sensehacking noun [U]
/ˈsens.hæk.ɪŋ/
the activity of stimulating all five senses in order to become happier and healthier

Sensehacking — a big wellbeing trend for 2023 — highlights the crucial role that senses play in our everyday lives. Our senses can change how we feel almost instantly, so this trend is all about becoming happier and more productive by “hacking” our senses … Simply put, sensehacking means using the power of our senses to improve our mood.
[redonline.co.uk, 15 December 2022]

disease X noun [C usually singular]
/dɪˌziːz ˈeks/
a currently unknown virus or bacterium that has the potential to cause a serious epidemic

Disease X. It’s an ominous concept. A mysterious and dangerous pathogen that we don’t know, but we do know is out there – waiting to make a deadly jump from an animal or bird into an unsuspecting person, and take off on a viral killing spree.
[telegraph.co.uk, 25 January 2023]

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breadflation noun [U]
/bredˈfleɪ.ʃᵊn/
a continuous increase in the price of bread

While prices are going up just about everywhere, a few items tend to stand out more than others. Enter “breadflation”. The average per-pound price of white bread in the U.S. has surged more than 25% since the pandemic began. And premium loaves of bread are selling for as much as $10.
[hits961.iheart.com, 22 July 2022]

nearshoring noun [U]
UK /ˈnɪə.ʃɔː.rɪŋ/ US /ˈnɪr.ʃɔːr.ɪŋ/
the practice of operating a business or part of a business in a nearby country, usually because this involves paying less tax or other costs but is still close enough to be convenient

A very similar process to offshoring, nearshoring involves employing teams in neighboring countries. These are usually territories within three time zones of your home country. For example, a Central European company that seeks cheaper technical skills from Eastern Europe … Nearshoring is seen as the middle ground between offshoring and onshoring. You can benefit from reduced costs for skilled workers while avoiding the communication issues that come with offshoring.
[futureofsourcing.com, 17 December 2022]

recommerce noun [U]
UK /ˌriːˈkɒm.ɜːs/ US /ˌriːˈkɑː.mɝːs/
the practice of buying and selling used goods online, usually on websites created for this purpose

Because recommerce revolves around buying and purchasing second-hand products, it leaves a positive impact on the environment. Now more than ever, consumers are buying more products but keeping them for a shorter amount of time, which causes concern for an increasing amount of discarded textiles in landfills each year. The recommerce space helps avoid this by encouraging the recycling of clothing and other products to consumers.
[whiplash.com, 20 October 2022]

About new words

resilience hub noun [C]
/rɪˈzɪl.jəns ˌhʌb/
a place in a city where someone can go during a heatwave to access air conditioning, get water, use the internet etc.

Cities around the world are adopting various measures to deal with the threat of heatwaves, which are increasing in frequency and severity, and put old and infirm people at particular risk. Resilience hubs are designated buildings—or, in some cases, pods made from shipping containers—within a community that provide air-conditioned places of refuge with drinking water, internet access and phone-charging facilities.
[economist.com, 14 November 2022]

doughnut city noun [C]
UK /ˈdəʊ.nʌt ˌsɪt.i/ US /ˈdoʊ.nʌt ˌsɪt̬.i/
a city where most people live in the outskirts and the city centre does not have many amenities such as shops, restaurants etc

When the proportion of teleworking becomes sufficiently large, our gentrified city turns into a doughnut city, as skilled workers abandon their central homes in search of more affordable suburban options. The unskilled workers, still doing all work onsite, relocate to the central neighbourhoods.
[cepr.org, 6 December 2022]

zoom town noun [C]
/ˈzuːm ˌtaʊn/
a town in which a large number of residents work remotely

The term “zoom town” is a play on the old term boomtown, which referred to towns and cities that experienced large growth due to oil discovery. The “zoom” in zoom town refers to the virtual conferencing software, Zoom, which many remote workers use. So instead of oil, zoom towns are communities growing due to increased remote work opportunities.
[rocketmortgage.com, 23 November 2022]

About new words

social omnivore noun [C]
UK /ˌsəʊ.ʃəl ˈɒm.nɪ.vɔːʳ/ US /ˌsoʊ.ʃəl ˈɑːm.nɪ.vɔːr/
a person who never eats meat at home but sometimes eats it when in a restaurant or at someone else’s house

Levy is part of a growing number of people who seek a middle ground. They’re social omnivores—vegetarian at home but sometimes partake in meat when out with friends and family. It’s different from following vague flexitarian or reducetarian principles, which both eschew clear-cut rules in favor of generally prioritizing plants over animals. Social omnivores, on the other hand, have one very clear boundary: They don’t buy or cook meat at home.
[bonappetit.com, 4 January 2023]

sustainatarian noun [C]
UK /səˌsteɪn.ɪˈteə.ri.ən/ US /səˌsteɪn.əˈter.i.ən/
a person who only eats food that has been produced in a way that causes little or no damage to the environment, and usually very little meat or fish

Sustainatarians orient their diet towards reducing food waste as well as reducing consumption of animal products, according to Vox. Sustainatarians might eat homegrown vegetables, or even hunt overpopulated animals for food using humane and sustainable methods rather than buy factory-farmed meat from the grocery store.
[tastingtable.com, 2 February 2023]

regenivore noun [C]
UK /ˌrɪˈdʒen.ɪ.vɔːʳ/ US /ˌrɪˈdʒen.ə.vɔːr/
a person who tries to actively stop or reverse the damage being done to the environment through the foods they choose to buy and eat

In addition to environmental concerns, regenivores take a big-picture view of the landscapes where food is grown, how livestock is raised, and how the people who produce and harvest food are treated … And when you consider the many threats facing planet earth, it’s easy to see why regenivores are growing in number.
[thedailymeal.com, 28 December 2022]

About new words