Words are everywhere! We say them, write them, and read them. Lexicographers keep up with how language changes in our world. The word experts keep our dictionaries up to date. That’s what just happened at Dictionary.com on February 28. The site added 313 new words. Terms like “petfluencer” and “cakeage” made the cut!
So, what do these new words mean? Well, “petfluencer” combines the words “pet” and “influencer.” An influencer is a person who has a ton of followers. A petfluencer has those followers because they post about their animal friend! Of course, “petfluencer” can also refer to the critter itself.
You may hear the word “cakeage” at a restaurant. Sometimes, people will bring their own cake to a dinner. A business might charge “cakeage.” That is a fee for serving outside sweets.
Another tasty term involves cake as well. “Cakeism” comes from the expression “to have one’s cake and eat it too.” Say you wanted to play video games and do your homework. Your friend might say, “You can’t have your cake and eat it too!” It means you have to make a choice. It’s impossible to do both at the same time. If you eat your cake, you won’t have it anymore. Your friend could also simply say, “That’s cakeism!”
One new entry has become more popular. A “digital nomad” is a person who works while traveling. The worker usually doesn’t have a permanent home address. This term has likely become more popular as people began to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking of travel, let’s take a trip to Antarctica! The water that borders that icy continent has sometimes been called the Antarctic Ocean. However, more experts have started to call it the Southern Ocean instead. In a new entry, Dictionary.com defines the Southern Ocean as “the waters surrounding Antarctica.”
One of the new additions isn’t a word at all. It’s a phone number! Dictionary.com added “988.” That is an emergency number in the United States. A person dialing those digits can reach a mental health expert. That expert can then talk through the caller’s issue. The 988 worker can also send emergency services if necessary.
These are just a few words a dictionary can hold. Next time you’re curious about a term, learn all you can by looking it up!
Updated March 3, 2023, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Alexa Tirapelli
