By John Q. Hosedrinker 
The Cambridge Dictionary has added 6,000 new words this year, many of which are influenced by social media and pop culture. Terms like “delulu,” “tradwife,” “broligarchy,” and “lewk” have been included due to their growing presence in both online and traditional media. These new additions are often linked to celebrities and trends, such as the “tradwife” movement or the viral phrase “skibidi.” The dictionary’s lexical program manager, Colin McIntosh, believes these words have staying power, reflecting the impact of internet culture on the English language.
Read the original article here
The inclusion of “Tradwife,” “delulu,” and “skibidi” in the Cambridge Dictionary has certainly stirred up some strong opinions, and it’s easy to see why. These are not your grandmother’s dictionary entries. We’re talking about terms that are deeply rooted in the language of the internet, social media, and the ever-evolving landscape of modern culture. It’s a fascinating reflection of how rapidly language adapts, shifts, and sometimes, just plain baffles the older generation.
Taking “Tradwife” first, it seems relatively straightforward. The term, shorthand for “traditional wife,” describes a woman who embraces a lifestyle centered around traditional gender roles, often focusing on homemaking and supporting her husband. While the concept might be a bit, well, old-fashioned to some, the term itself is pretty descriptive. It provides a clear label for a specific lifestyle choice.
“Delulu,” on the other hand, is a bit more complex. It’s a shortened version of “delusional,” and it’s used to describe someone who is overly optimistic, unrealistic, or living in a fantasy world. It might be a bit cringe-worthy, but it certainly captures a specific kind of behavior, and it’s been used by a lot of people on the internet to describe someone being overly optimistic.
Now, “skibidi.” This is where things get interesting, and perhaps a little confusing. The dictionary defines “skibidi” as a word that can have different meanings such as “cool” or “bad”, or can be used with no real meaning as a joke. It’s a term that seems to have exploded onto the scene through internet meme culture, particularly the “Skibidi Toilet” series. It’s a nonsense word, an onomatopoeia, a meme, and for some, it’s a source of both amusement and head-scratching. To many, it is simply the name of the series itself. Its definition and the very reason for its inclusion are the subjects of much debate, as its ephemeral nature is a stark contrast to the more grounded definition of the other two entries.
It’s worth remembering that a dictionary’s job isn’t to dictate how language *should* be used; it’s to document how it *is* used. It’s a reflection of the times, not a gatekeeper of proper English. If enough people use a word, with a certain intent, it becomes part of the language, whether we like it or not. This is particularly true in an era of rapid global communication, where slang travels at the speed of a viral video.
The addition of these words doesn’t mean we have to start using them in every formal essay. It just means that if we come across them, we can look them up and understand what they mean. That’s the beauty of a dictionary: it gives us the tools to understand the language around us, even if that language sometimes feels like it’s from another planet.
Dictionaries are constantly evolving to keep pace with the times. Words like “Google” have become verbs, and terms related to working from home, like “mouse jiggler,” have also found their way into the lexicon. It’s the same way we all came to grips with “random” in the 2000s, which meant both impulsive and scatterbrained. The truth is, language has always changed, and it always will. If you want to understand the world around you, you have to keep up.
There’s also the fact that adding these words can be a bit of a clickbait strategy. Dictionaries, like any other media, need to attract attention. Adding controversial or trendy words helps them stay relevant, and gets people talking. It’s a bit disheartening that it has to be this way, but it is what it is.
The bottom line is that language is fluid. And it’s important to remember that every generation has its own slang. What might sound like gibberish today could be perfectly commonplace tomorrow. It might be frustrating to see words like “skibidi” enter the hallowed halls of the dictionary, but it’s also a sign of a language that’s alive, dynamic, and constantly reinventing itself. So, whether you’re a fan of “Tradwife” or completely lost in the “delulu” of it all, the Cambridge Dictionary is simply reflecting the reality of how we speak.