'The ick' and 'boop' latest words added to Cambridge Dictionary (2024)

By Lucy Clarke-Billings, BBC News

"The ick" and "boop" are among more than 3200 new words and phrases added to the Cambridge Dictionary this year.

The latest additions - which have gained prominence in online and youth culture in recent years - are expected to be more than a fleeting part of the English language.

Wendalyn Nichols, Cambridge Dictionary's publishing manager, said that while language is constantly evolving, these new additions have "staying power".

The dictionary defines "the ick", popularised by the reality show Love Island, as "a sudden feeling that you dislike someone or something or are no longer attracted to someone because of something they do".

It describes "boop" as "a gentle hit or touch" on the nose or head as a joke or to indicate affection.

The dictionary gives an example useage of "the ick" as: "I used to like Kevin, but seeing him in that suit gave me the ick."

Other new terms include "IYKYK" - an abbreviation for "if you know you know" - and "face journey", which denotes a series of expressions on a person's face as they react to something.

"Chef's kiss" was another phrase added. It is used to describe something deemed perfect or excellent.

It also means the movement "in which you put your fingers and thumb together, kiss them, then pull your hand away from your lips".

Gaming terminology has also been incorporated into the latest edition, such as "speedrun" - completing a game or level quickly - and "side quest", an ancillary activity within a game.

Colin McIntosh, Cambridge Dictionary's programme manager, said: "These gaming-inspired words have also begun to influence how we talk about our offline lives."

For instance, "side quest" can be used to mean one's attention being diverted by something unimportant, or someone disappearing from a larger group on a night out.

At the end of last year, Cambridge Dictionary announced that "hallucinate" was its word of the year, as it had gained a new meaning since the development of artificial intelligence.

While the traditional definition is "to seem to see, hear, feel, or smell something that does not exist", it now includes "when an artificial intelligence (AI) hallucinates, it produces false information".

The latest additions to the English dictionary follow in the footsteps of other terminology coined in the modern age, including "selfie" and "babyccino".

Meanwhile, "rizz" was named as word of the year by Oxford University Press in 2023.

The Gen Z slang for "style, charm or attractiveness" or "the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner" won out over other contenders, such as "Swiftie" - an enthusiastic fan of Taylor Swift - and "situationship", an informal romantic or sexual relationship.

Additional reporting by Brian Farmer, BBC News, Cambridgeshire

- BBC

Copyright © 2024, Radio New Zealand

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