The Cambridge Dictionary has just added 6,000 words, including “delulu,” “broligarchy,” and “snackable.”
Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language from 1755, considered the first English dictionary, only had 42,773 words. But then, Dr. Johnson wrote every single definition himself, and he didn’t have ChatGPT.
The dictionary’s editors believe these words have a chance of passing the test of time but I’m not so sure. “Snackable,” an adjective describing a short, easily digestible piece of information, will surely become as dated as “groovy” and “bogart” from the sixties.
Although somebody ought to bring “bogart” back. It means hogging, as in the 1968 song, Don’t Bogart that Joint by Fraternity of Man. This wonderful verb was inspired by Humphrey Bogart’s not taking his cigarette out of his mouth between puffs.
“Joint” is a great word, too, meaning a marijuana cigarette. Merle Haggard sings of remembering “when a joint was a bad place to be.” Merle was in this meaning of “joint”—the joint—for three years, San Quentin Prison.
At camp one summer I canoed around Algonquin Park in Ontario, and those who paddled half-heartedly were called “lily dippers.” They merely dipped their paddles at the lily pads passing by. You didn’t want to be called a lily dipper.
Of the words being added, “mouse jiggler” is my favorite. A mouse jiggler is a device that makes it seem you are moving your computer mouse, even if you are not. It is employed, if that is the right word, by those whose work activity is monitored remotely and want to appear busy, even if they are really watching “Love Island” on TV.
I’m guessing “mouse jiggler,” as much as I love it, will not long survive. The technology, and our memory of it, will disappear soon enough.
But you know which phrase they added probably will survive? “Forever chemical.” Unfortunately, those aren’t going anywhere.
My mother was known to use the expression "The Cat's Meow" to describe something coveted in her generation. I haven't heard it in years, so I'm sure it has gone the way of many words: into oblivion. Enjoyed the read!
My favorite is delulu. It's more fun to say than delusional, and less clinical sounding.