With the year winding down and the productivity cycle beginning to slow, I feel myself slipping into brainrot (fixation on mindless digital content). But hey, at least I’m up on Gen-Z speak to some extent.
To help you get with it, here’s a list of the hip and happening new generation – or should I say ‘newgen’ words that have made it into the dictionary. The actual English language dictionary, not a slang-specific dictionary, which is where, some may argue, they belong.
Know thyself
Delulu: Derived from “delusional”, this is a playful comment on self-awareness. The famous example is Australia’s prime minister who said someone was “delulu with no solulu”. Its meaning is believing something that’s not real or true, often because you choose to. Or: you’re so caught up in your fantasy you forgot the plot.
Skibidi: Originating from the viral YouTube series Skibidi Toilet, it can mean “cool”, “bad”, or it can mean nothing at all. It’s flexible, it’s absurd, it’s whatever the moment demands. This concoction, specifically, highlights how internet culture (and the meme-generation) isn’t just consuming language – it’s building it.
Tradwife: Perhaps recognisable as a portmanteau of “traditional wife”, this word captures a social media-lifestyle trend (especially on Instagram and TikTok) embracing older/fixed gender roles. A tradwife is defined as a woman who embraces domestic and traditional roles, often publicly sharing her lifestyle online.
Brainrot: Used to describe mindless digital content that you’re fixated on – the “I’m watching this for hours and I don’t even know why” vibe.
As a purist, you may want to turn a blind eye, and merely nose-dive into the classics where you won’t be confronted by changes to the language. But that would be a mistake. Language evolves fast. Words that seem “just for jokes” or “just for TikTok” tend to stick if enough people use them and they capture something real.
These may not all be in every dictionary yet, but they’re showing up in articles about language trends, so stay alert.
Dictionaries don’t just add any old word: they look for “staying power”. According to Cambridge University Press, they only add words they believe will last.
New words reflect generational identity. Gen Z and Gen Alpha grew up streaming, meme-ing, device-in-hand. Their language reflects that digital-native world. It’s indicative of how fast our world moves, how digital life reshapes the way we speak, connect and define ourselves.
Language has no usage restrictions and slang crosses borders quickly. Social media doesn’t wait for localisation. These trends are global, but how they get used locally can add flavour.
If you’re a writer, teacher, marketer, or content-creator, knowing these words can help you understand younger audiences better – and tailor your messages in a language that speaks to them.
