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4w ago

English Dictionary Adds 42 New Words, Highlighting Global Linguistic Diversity

The latest update includes untranslatable loanwords from Southeast Asia, South Africa, and Ireland, with 'gigil' from the Philippines gaining particular attention for its unique emotional resonance.

The OED also acknowledged the influence of Mandarin and Cantonese with the inclusion of tapau, meaning to package, or wrap up, food to take away. (File)
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'Gigil” (pronounced ghee-gill), a word borrowed from the Tagalog language of the Philippines.
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Overview

  • The March 2025 update to the Oxford English Dictionary adds 42 new words, many of which are 'untranslatable' loanwords capturing unique cultural concepts.
  • The Tagalog word 'gigil,' describing an overwhelming urge to squeeze something adorable, has become a focal point of the update.
  • New entries include 10 additional Filipino loanwords, 12 from Malaysia and Singapore, 11 from South Africa, and 8 from Ireland, reflecting diverse linguistic contributions.
  • Food-related terms like 'otak-otak' (a Southeast Asian seafood dish) and cultural expressions such as South Africa's 'gatvol' (extremely annoyed) are among the additions.
  • The OED's editors review thousands of word suggestions annually, using crowdsourcing, reading programs, and automated language analysis to reflect evolving global language trends.