Gen Z slangs 'delulu', 'skibidi' among 6,000 new words added to Cambridge Dictionary

The Cambridge Dictionary has officially added 6,000 new words to its collection this year, including a number of new slangs inspired by social media.

Among the newly added words are delulu, tradwife, broligarchy, and lewk as experts say these are likely to stay rather than fade as passing trends.

Many of these words have gained traction through celebrities, influencers, and online communities. For example, “delulu” was famously used by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in parliament (delulu with no solulu).

The word lewk became popular through shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, and broligarchy has been used to describe wealthy, influential tech figures including Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.

The new entries are not limited to slang. Terms related to remote work, like mouse jiggler, a device or app that prevents a computer from going idle, and climate change-related phrases such as forever chemical have also been included.

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The dictionary, published by Cambridge University Press, compiles entries using a vast database of English as it appears in real-life use, spanning everything from social media to academic writing.

• Delulu: short for delusional; often used in playful or humorous ways.
• Lewk: a stylized spelling of look, meaning a striking or distinctive fashion choice.
• Tradwife: short for traditional wife; describing women who embrace traditional domestic roles.
• Broligarchy: a mix of bro and oligarchy; referring to a small, powerful circle of men, especially in tech.
• Work wife/work spouse: describing close, supportive workplace relationships.
• Inspo: shorthand for inspiration, especially in online culture.

Another entry, skibidi, gained attention through the viral YouTube series Skibidi Toilet. The nonsensical word has been adopted by Gen Alpha to mean anything from “cool” to “weird,” and sometimes simply as a gibberish expression.

The term entered pop culture further when Kim Kardashian received a necklace with the word from her daughter North West.