Prepare yourselves, linguistic traditionalists, because the English language just got a serious internet injection. The hallowed halls of the Cambridge Dictionary have swung open their doors to a new wave of words, and anyone over the age of 20 will probably need a translator. Terms like "skibidi," "broligarchy," "inspo," and "delulu" have officially sashayed into the dictionary, confirming what many of us already suspected: the TikTok generation is here, and they're taking over our vocabulary.
For those scratching their heads and wondering what a "skibidi" even is, we have you covered. It originates from YouTuber DaFuq!?Boom!’s viral "Skibidi Toilet" series. The dictionary defines this delightful nonsensical word as something that can mean "cool" or "bad," or simply be used as a joke.
There was also a reference to it in the popular Little Big song “Skibidi” that predates the above, but didn’t become as common until the YouTube series.
Other notable newcomers include "broligarchy," which, as the name suggests, refers to powerful groups of men in tech (think Bezos, Musk, Zuckerberg, and their quest for political influence).
Then there's "tradwife," a snappy shorthand for a "traditional wife". We've also got "inspo" (your daily dose of inspiration) and "delulu" (short for delusional, often used to describe those with an unwavering, perhaps unrealistic, belief in their own success). And for the fashion-forward, "lewk" is now officially recognised as a "particular style, fashion, or outfit, especially one that is unusual and impressive."
Colin McIntosh, Cambridge Dictionary’s Lexical Programme Manager, seems to be having a grand old time with all of this. "It’s not every day you get to see words like skibidi and delulu make their way into the Cambridge Dictionary," he said. "We only add words where we think they'll have staying power. Internet culture is changing the English language, and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the Dictionary.”
While some might be raising an eyebrow, there's no denying that these terms have been circulating online for a hot minute. And let's be real, this isn't the first time internet slang has crashed the dictionary party. Who can forget "emoji" and "clickbait" joining Merriam-Webster's in 2015?
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