Like it or not, the dictionary is changing in real time through trends, memes and the lived expression of digital communities.
In a move that underscores the power of viral culture, the Cambridge dictionary has added more than 6,000 new words, phrases and meanings(external link) to its lexicon this year -- many of them birthed in the swirling vortex of TikTok, YouTube and meme-fuelled online communities.
The lexicon goes loud and proud
Headlining the update are inclusions like 'skibidi', 'delulu' and 'tradwife', each carrying its own slice of Gen Z or social media lore:
'Skibidi', a nonsensical utterance born from the animated YouTube sensation, Skibidi Toilet, stands for anything from 'cool' to 'bad' or literally nothing at all, just a punchline in a gibberish sentence. As The Guardian explains, such terms represent the TikTok generation's linguistic swagger, now graded 'official'.
'Delulu', an affectionate shorthand for 'delusional', emerged in the K-pop fandom before becoming shorthand for whimsical or fantastical belief like assuming a celebrity will meet you. It's now commonly used to describe self-chosen delusions.
Its leap into mainstream politics came courtesy of a verbal zinger from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who famously quipped the opposition 'are delulu with no solulu'.
'Tradwife', short for 'traditional wife,' refers to women -- especially influencers -- who embrace homemaking, cooking and child-rearing, often documenting it all on platforms like Instagram.
TikTok's silent rule over the dictionary
This lexicon update signals a formal acknowledgement of platforms once dismissed as ephemeral entertainment.
In the words of Cambridge's lexical programme manager, Colin McIntosh, the additions reflect only those terms that demonstrate 'staying power' and not fleeting fads.
The dictionary's process is rooted in data: The Cambridge English Corpus -- a 2 billion word archive -- is used to track the frequency, distribution and contextual relevance of each prospective word.
Beyond the gram and TikTok
Breaking beyond slang, this update also honours terms tied to pandemic-era work life and climate concerns:
- Mouse jiggler: A device or app that fakes mouse movement to keep a computer active -- an emblem of remote working subterfuge.
- Forever chemical: A term for synthetic pollutants that stubbornly linger in the environment.
Other additions include cultural shorthand and dating cues like 'lewk' (for a bold or carefully curated style), 'inspo' (short for inspiration) and 'snackable' -- content designed for quick, casual consumption.
Dynamic language, divided reaction
Reactions to the update are as diverse as the words themselves. Some critics -- particularly language purists -- brushed off the additions with quips like 'English is no longer a language; it's a TikTok comment section'. Others lamented a cultural decline, dubbing it 'brainrot'.
Defenders, meanwhile, argue that language is meant to evolve.
A Times editorial points out that resistance to linguistic shifts is nothing new and dictionaries exist precisely to reflect living usage, not moral preference.
Meanwhile, Cambridge's team maintains that documenting how people actually communicate -- slang, memes and all -- is the dictionary's fundamental role.
Why it matters
This lexicon shift is more than a humorous footnote -- it marks an official embrace of digital cultures shaping modern communication.
As CNN notes, phrases like 'that wasn't very skibidi rizz of you' or 'I've entered my delulu era' are more than jokes -- they hint at evolving self-expression and identity formation in online spaces.
For educators, parents, or anyone trying to keep pace with evolving language, this update is a lively reminder: Like it or not, the dictionary is no longer just history -- it's changing in real time, through trends, memes and the lived expression of digital communities.
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