What do the ick, girl dinner, and bed rotting all have in common?
Well, they’re some of the newest words that have been added to Dictionary.com, of course.
Appearing to resonate with a largely younger audience, Dictionary.com has added more than 300 new words to its collection this year.
It comes alongside 173 new definitions, and 1,228 revised word meanings.
Whether you know the difference between a ‘bussin’ night out and a ‘mid’ event or not, you’re helping shape how our language and culture are evolving every single day.
According to Dictonary.com’s editorial team, the latest cohort of words represents our constantly evolving society and trends.
“The intersection of language, learning, and culture is boundless, and we recognize that words have the power to shape thoughts, bridge gaps, and reflect our ever-evolving society,” said John Kelly, the platform’s vice president of editorial.
“Our semi-annual New Words announcement is meant to support a greater understanding of where language is, where it might go next – and why the constantly expanding universe of words matters for our everyday lives.”
So, how many new words do you know? And, can you use them in a sentence? Here’s our selection of the top slang words that you should know about in 2024.
1. The ick
Love Island fans will probably be well-versed in the idea of “the ick”. One of the new words added by Dictionary.com, it refers to when you suddenly go off someone, perhaps due to an annoying habit.
The official definition is “something or someone that causes feelings of distaste or repugnance”, or a “sudden feeling of disgust or dislike, often in response to the actions of another person”.
2. Girl dinner
One of the more unusual words recently added is girl dinner. This term exploded onto the scene thanks to TikTok after a social media user called Olivia Maher shared it with her followers.
The term refers to an “attractively presented collection of snacks that involve little preparation, such as small quantities of cold cuts, cheese, fruit, cherry tomatoes”.
Obviously, the idea of a board of fridge leftovers isn’t anything new, but social media has helped propel this concept into the mainstream – earning it an addition to this year’s dictionary entries.
The dictionary definition also suggests that it’s usually something that younger women tend to go for when they have little time to cook.
3. Bed rotting
Dictionary.com’s word of the day, bed rotting, is another word recently added to the online dictionary. It’s also the platform’s word of the day.
This relatable term sums up the cosy process of self-care and relaxation while switching off from daily life.
As its name suggests, it refers to spending hours in bed “often with snacks or an electronic device, as a voluntary retreat from activity or stress”.
4. Skip lagging
Skip lagging appears to have emerged as a result of soaring flight ticket costs and is a growing trend among savvy travellers.
By its dictionary definition, it is “a workaround to avoid paying a higher fare for a direct flight”.
It refers to when passengers buy a multi-leg flight but then get off during their layover, as it's where they actually intended to go. Some people claim this strategy can sometimes help travellers save money on their tickets.
5. Slow fashion
Over the past few years, the rise of fast fashion has led to a counter-movement of fashion brands trying to challenge mass consumption and waste. The result: slow fashion.
As its name suggests, slow fashion is “a movement among clothing producers and consumers that emphasizes eco-friendly, well-made clothing, maintenance and repair of garments to extend their lifespan and a general reduction of one’s consumption of new clothing items”.
6. Barbiecore
Last year was all about Barbie and the boom of hot-pink fashion. Barbiecore is another cultural phenomenon that refers to that very pink Barbie aesthetic.
We’re talking about “pink outfits, accessories, decor, etc., celebrating and modelled on the wardrobe of the Barbie doll”.
7. Greedflation
Greedflation occurs when there is an increase in prices linked to corporate behaviour.
The dictionary definition calls it “a rise in prices, rents, or the like, that is not due to market pressure or any other factor organic to the economy, but is caused by corporate executives or boards of directors, property owners, etc., solely to increase profits that are already healthy or excessive”.
8. Sound bath
Those with a penchant for more holistic practices may be familiar with this popular new word. A sound bath refers to a collection of sounds made from singing bowls and bells.
Often associated with spiritual practices, a sound bath relies on “an instance of sustained listening to the pleasant sounds emanating from a collection of singing bowls, bells, chimes, etc., used to aid in relaxation or meditation and believed to help restore physical and mental wellness”.
9. Girl dad
#GirlDad has emerged as one of many social media trends that have landed on this list. After a number of sweet pictures emerged on social media of loving dads looking after their daughters, the phrase girl dad quickly followed suit.
It refers to “a father of a daughter or daughters, especially one with only a daughter or daughters”.
10. Bussin’
Last but not least among our top 10 is the slang phrase bussin’.
Apparently, a popular phrase used by Gen Z people, the origin of the word is thought to have derived from words such as “to explode”, “to do well”, or “to enjoy”. It’s used to describe things that are very good.
11. Fire tornado
Yes, amid the backdrop of climate change, a number of climate-related words have also been added to the dictionary, fire tornado being one of them.
According to Dictionary.com, a fire tornado is simply a “flaming tornado generated by intense wildfire, rarer, much larger, and more destructive than a fire whirl”.
A number of devastating fire tornados were actually documented in 2023, making this alarming trend more common than you think.
12. Pretty privilege
We’ve heard of white privilege, but have you also heard of pretty privilege?
Pretty privilege is said to earn people better treatment and opportunities based on the way they look.
This is described as a noun for “an unearned and mostly unacknowledged societal advantage that a person has by fitting into the beauty standards of their culture”.
