We Added 690 New Words to the Dictionary for September 2023

Find the latest list of words added to the dictionary here

Signs of a healthy language include words being created, words being borrowed from other languages, and new meanings being given to existing words. Based on our most recent research, we are pleased to inform you that English is very (very!) healthy.

Below is a sample of the 690 recent additions we’ve made to our dictionary.

Slang and Informal

rizz noun, slang : romantic appeal or charm

zhuzh noun : a small improvement, adjustment, or addition that completes the overall look, taste, etc. of something; verb : to improve in flavor or appearance by way of a small improvement, adjustment, or addition — often used with up

doggo noun, slang : dog

padawan noun, informal : a young person especially when regarded as naïve, inexperienced, etc.

bingo card noun … 2 slang : a list of possible, expected, or likely scenarios — usually used in the phrase on one's bingo card

simp verb, informal : to show excessive devotion to or longing for someone or something

GOATED adjective, slang : considered to be the greatest of all time

bussin’ adjective, African American English slang : extremely good : excellent; especially : delicious, tasty

cromulent adjective, informal + humorous : acceptable, satisfactory

mid adjective … 2 informal : neither very good nor very bad : so-so, meh

ngl abbreviation, informal not gonna lie; not going to lie

TFW abbreviation, informal that feeling when — used especially on social media or in text messages to introduce a relatable scenario or an image that evokes a specific feeling

TTYL abbreviation, informal talk to you later

The Digital World

generative AI noun : artificial intelligence that is capable of generating new content (such as images or text) in response to a submitted prompt (such as a query) by learning from a large reference database of examples

large language model noun : a language model that utilizes deep (see deep entry 1 sense 8) methods on an extremely large data set as a basis for predicting and constructing natural-sounding text

vector graphics noun : a process of creating digital images by using mathematical formulas to specify the relationship between the elements of the image (such as the start and end points of a line) rather than by defining each individual pixel

rotoscope verb : to draw or paint over (something, such as live-action footage or an element from such footage) frame by frame in order to create a matte (see matte entry 3 sense 2) or a realistic animation : to animate or composite (something) by means of rotoscoping

smishing noun : the practice of sending text messages to someone in order to trick the person into revealing personal or confidential information which can then be used for criminal purposes

passkey noun … 2 : an authentication method that uses biometrics (such as fingerprint or facial recognition) to identify and grant access to an authorized user

hallucination noun … 3 : a plausible but false or misleading response generated by an artificial intelligence algorithm

The Analog World

UAP abbreviation or noun : unidentified aerial phenomenon (a mysterious flying object in the sky that is sometimes assumed to be a spaceship from another planet); also : unidentified anomalous phenomenon (a mysterious phenomenon, especially an unidentified aerial phenomenon, that is sometimes assumed to be a spaceship from another planet)

nyctinasty noun : plant movement (such as the closing of a flower's petals or the reorientation of a leaf's position) that occurs in response to changes in light intensity (such as the onset of darkness) and that typically involves changes in cellular turgor : the nastic movement of the parts of some plants that occurs in the absence of a directional stimulus and that is associated with the plant's circadian cycle

rewild verb 1 : to return to a more natural or wild state : to make or become natural or wild again; specifically : to increase biodiversity and restore the natural processes of an ecosystem typically by reducing or ceasing human activity and reintroducing plant and animal species 2 : to return (an animal) to the wild

crate-dig verb : to shop for rare, vintage, or obscure recordings especially by searching through crates of secondhand merchandise

tiny house noun : a small house or mobile home that typically has a floor plan of less than 500 square feet and that is usually designed for ergonomics and space efficiency

jorts plural noun : shorts made of denim or jean : jean shorts

Gaming and Other Screens

cutscene noun : a noninteractive video sequence that occurs between segments of a video game and depicts part of the game's background or storyline

nerf verb 1 informal : to reduce the effectiveness of (something, such as a character, attribute, or weapon) in a video game; broadly : to make (something) less useful or effective 2 informal : to lightly bump (another car) in an automobile race

non-player character noun : NPC: a : a character in a video game that does not represent and cannot be manipulated by a player b : a character in a role-playing board game, card game, or live-action game that is controlled or performed by an organizer, facilitator, or supporting participant

speedrun noun : timed playthrough of a video game or portion of a video game completed as quickly as the player is able to complete it

boss noun … 3 : a major antagonist in a game (such as a video game or board game) and usually one that must be overcome in order for a player to progress

rage quit verb : to suddenly stop participating or engaging in (something) in a fit of anger and frustration : to quit (something) in anger

cold open noun : a scene of a film or television episode that precedes the title sequence or opening credits and that typically takes place in medias res

jump scare noun : a scripted moment (as in a film or video game) intended to startle the audience

logline noun : a simple synopsis of a screenplay, film, novel, etc. that is used for pitching (see pitch entry 3 sense 3c) or promotion

vanity card noun : the logo of a production company that appears briefly on-screen following the credits for a television show or movie

Culture and Society, Online and Offline

thirst trap noun : a photograph (such as a selfie) or video shared for the purpose of attracting attention or desire; also : someone or something that attracts attention or strong desire

’grammable adjective : suitable to be posted on the Instagram photo-sharing service : Instagrammable

doomscroll verb : to spend excessive time online scrolling (see scroll entry 2) through news or other content that makes one feel sad, anxious, angry, etc.

edgelord noun, slang : someone who makes wildly dark and exaggerated statements (as on an internet forum) with the intent of shocking others

finsta noun, slang : a secret or incognito account on the Instagram photo-sharing service

quiet quit verb : to do the minimum amount of work required for a job : to engage in quiet quitting

prosocial adjective : intended to help or benefit another person or group

cape verb : to act as a defender or supporter

chef’s kiss noun : a gesture of satisfaction or approval made by kissing the fingertips of one hand and then spreading the fingers with an outward motion — often used interjectionally

Food and How It’s Made

stagiaire noun : a usually unpaid intern working in a professional kitchen as part of their training to become a chef : a cook who is doing a stage

stage noun 1 : a usually unpaid internship in a professional kitchen that is part of a chef's training 2 : a person who holds such an internship : stagiaire

cheffy adjective : characteristic of or befitting a professional chef (as in showiness, complexity, or exoticness)

emping noun : a slightly bitter cracker or chip popular in Indonesia that is made from the dried flattened seed of a melinjo tree (Gnetum gnemon)

jollof rice noun : a West African dish of rice cooked in a sauce of tomatoes and onions seasoned usually with garlic, thyme, hot pepper, and other spices and often accompanied by meat, fish, or vegetables

smashburger noun 1 : a hamburger patty that is pressed thin onto a heated pan or griddle at the start of cooking; also : a patty (as of beans or ground turkey) prepared similarly 2 : a sandwich featuring one or more such patties

Climate and the Environment

carbon capture and storage noun : any of various methods of removing and storing carbon dioxide produced by industrial processes to keep it from entering the atmosphere

forever chemical noun : a toxic substance and especially a synthetic chemical (as of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances group) that persists and accumulates in the environment — not used technically

nurdle noun : a plastic pellet (see pellet entry 1 sense 1a) that is usually less than 0.2 inch (0.5 centimeter) in diameter or length, that is the raw material from which plastic products are manufactured, and that is a common pollutant of global waters and beaches — not used technically

green chemistry noun : an approach to designing and creating chemical processes and products that are safer for humans and the environment, that minimize waste, and that are energy efficient

Sports and Exercise

kayfabe noun 1 : the tacit agreement between professional wrestlers and their fans to pretend that overtly staged wrestling events, stories, characters, etc., are genuine; broadly : tacit agreement to behave as if something is real, sincere, or genuine when it is not 2 : the playacting involved in maintaining kayfabe

kiss-and-cry noun : an area adjacent to a skating rink where figure skaters wait for their marks immediately after performing in a competition

tabata noun : a type of high-intensity interval training that usually consists of eight sets of exercises (such as jumping jacks) each performed at maximum intensity for 20 seconds interspersed with a brief rest of 10 seconds

battle rope noun : a piece of fitness equipment consisting of a thick heavy long rope that is typically anchored to a solid surface (such as a wall or post) at one end and gripped in the hand at the other end and that is usually used in pairs in exercises involving moving the arms up and down to cause the ropes to move in continuous waves or slam against the ground

bracketology noun : the practice or study of predicting the outcome of elimination tournaments or competitions especially in NCAA college basketball

beast mode noun, slang : an extremely aggressive or energetic style or manner that someone (such as an athlete) adopts temporarily (as to overpower an opponent in a fight or competition)

Doing Business

meme stock noun : a stock (see stock entry 1 sense 2a) that experiences a temporary sudden surge in popularity and price due to a coordinated effort (such as a viral social media campaign) by small investors

last mile noun : the final stage of the distance that must be covered by a service (as a telecommunications network or delivery service) in order to reach a consumer

girlboss noun : an ambitious and successful woman (especially a businesswoman or entrepreneur)

street date noun : the date set by a manufacturer or publisher as the first day a product may be sold to consumers

microtransaction noun : an online transaction involving a small amount of currency; especially : such a transaction made within a video game (as to purchase exclusive content or competitive advantage)