8 New Words Added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2016

The English language is constantly changing and evolving, which is why dictionaries need to be updated regularly. Whether it’s a new type of millionaire, selfie, or dance routine, Oxford English Dictionary monitors word usage and tries to keep on top of the world’s most widely-used language.

Here are just a few of the newest words that were added to our dictionaries this year.

Air Punch

Air punch is very much what it sounds like – punching the air, usually in victory or celebration.

Bare-Knuckle

Bare-knuckle is usually accompanied by ‘boxing’, and is a type of fighting where the opponents do not wear gloves.

Brass Neck

Brass neck is a type of attitude, usually seen as quite cheeky or shameless. It’s where somebody behaves extremely confidently about their actions to the point where it can be seen as rude.

Centimillionaire

Everybody wants to be a centimillionaire! A centimillionare is somebody who is worth more than 100 million.

Chargrilled

We were shocked that chargrilled was not in the dictionary already! Chargrilled food is cooked over or under direct heat so that the surface becomes slightly blackened. Most commonly, you will have chargrilled food at a barbeque (BBQ), but they’re also a favourite on burger menus around the world.

Fixie

A fixie is a type of bicycle with fixed gears, which has become increasingly popular around the coolest areas of London.

Glamping

The word glamping comes from a cross between glamorous and camping – where you enjoy something more luxurious than a simple tent and a camp site. Some glamping examples include yurts, cabins, and even treehouses.

Words made up of two other words are called portmanteaux, and they are increasingly popular in slang. Other portmanteaux include staycation (where you stay in your home country on vacation) and frenemy (where you’re not sure if somebody is your friend or enemy).

Power Couple

Power couples are made up of two wealthy or powerful individuals. Think Beyoncé and Jay Z, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, or Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

If you’d like to see the full list of all of the new words added in 2016, you can find it here.