From “girl dinner” to “bed rotting,” it can sometimes feel tough to understand the ever expanding lexicon used to describe modern life.
To keep up with the times, Dictionary.com added or updated more than 1,700 words on Tuesday. The new words reflect many of the trends that have emerged recently, including “barbiecore,” the all-pink aesthetic that blew up following the release of the Barbie movie last summer.
The new entries also reflect many of the anxieties unique to our khbrknews— “climate breakdown” and “global boiling,” for example, address the severity of climate change and its impact on public health.
“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,” John Kelly, vice president of editorial at Dictionary.com, said in a press statement. “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.”
Here are some of the new words and their meanings.
Enshittification
noun. The gradual degradation of an online platform or service’s functionality, as part of a cycle in which the platform or service first offers benefits to users to attract them, then pursues more and more profits at the expense of users.
Bed rotting
noun. The practice of spending many hours in bed during the day, often with snacks or an electronic device, as a voluntary retreat from activity or stress.
Girl dinner
noun. An often attractively presented collection of snacks that involve little preparation, such as small quantities of cold cuts, cheese, fruit, cherry tomatoes, etc., deemed sufficient to constitute a meal for one.
Mid
adjective. Mediocre, unimpressive, or disappointing.
Bussin’
adjective. Great; wonderful; amazing.
The ick
noun. A sudden feeling of disgust or dislike, often in response to the…
