‘The ick’ and ‘chef’s kiss’ are two of over 3,200 new words and phrases added to the Cambridge Dictionary this year by language experts.
Hundreds of new entries are made in the dictionary each year to reflect how language is used and keep up with the ever-changing lexicon of Britain.
And 2024 is no different.
Wendalyn Nichols, Cambridge Dictionary publishing manager, explained: “Language is dynamic, changing right along with technology and culture. It’s fascinating, and a privilege, to monitor this change and to capture not just new words, but also new uses of existing words, in our monthly updates. Some new terms are added very quickly and others can take some time. We try to identify words and uses that have proven staying power, rather than adding ones that might be short-lived.”
She added: "Lexicographers use the Cambridge English Corpus, a collection of more than two billion written and spoken English words, to gather evidence for how a new word is used by different people and in a variety of situations. We also collect evidence of new words that have only appeared in English very recently."
Here are 11 of the new entries.
5. Boop
"A gentle hit or touch on a person’s or animal’s nose or head, showing that you like them or as a joke." | Canva/Getty Images
6. This baby
"Something such as a device, vehicle, or product, especially one that you approve of or find impressive in some way." | Canva/Getty Images
7. The ick
"A sudden feeling that you dislike someone or something or are no longer attracted to someone because of something they do." | Canva/Getty Images
8. Side quest
"A part of a computer game that has its own aim and story but is not part of the main game." | Canva/Getty Images