Highlights:
- Cambridge Dictionary adds words influenced by internet and TikTok culture.
- New entries include “skibidi”, “delulu”, “tradwife”, “broligarchy”, “mouse jiggler” and “work spouse”.
- Lexicographers say they only include terms with long-term staying power.
- Words reflect the growing impact of online culture on everyday English.
Cambridge Dictionary reflects TikTok’s influence
The Cambridge Dictionary has added a series of new words that highlight the influence of internet and TikTok culture on modern English. Among the latest entries are “skibidi”, “delulu” and “tradwife”.
Colin McIntosh, the dictionary’s lexical programme manager, said: “Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture. We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power.”
What the new words mean
- Skibidi – defined as a term that can mean “cool” or “bad”, or be used with no real meaning, often as a joke. Popularised by the viral YouTube series Skibidi Toilet, it is widely used among children and teenagers. Example: “What the skibidi are you doing?”
- Delulu – an abbreviation of “delusional”, defined as believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to. Originating in K-pop fandoms more than a decade ago, it has surged on TikTok with phrases such as “delulu is the solulu”.
- Tradwife – short for “traditional wife”, referring to women who promote conservative gender roles online, celebrating homemaking and supporting their husbands. The dictionary notes the term is “especially used for women who post about this lifestyle on social media”.
Other notable additions
- Broligarchy – a blend of “bro” and “oligarchy”, describing a small group of wealthy, powerful men in the tech industry who have or seek political influence.
- Mouse jiggler – a device or piece of software, popularised in the post-pandemic era, used to make it appear that someone is working when they are not.
- Work spouse – a workplace term describing two colleagues who support and trust each other closely.
Broader context
The inclusion of these terms reflects wider social and cultural debates. Commentators have described words such as skibidi as emblematic of chaotic internet humour, while the tradwife movement has attracted criticism for promoting regressive gender roles.
Despite generational divides over their value, lexicographers stress that these additions demonstrate how digital culture continues to reshape the English language.
