Languages are always growing and changing, and English is no exception. If people begin to use a new word a lot, it gets added to the dictionary! And that’s the best way to learn new vocabulary – listening to people using a word, then using it yourself.
Check out these English for 2020, 20 totally new words appearing in the Oxford English Dictionary for the very first time. Then go out and use them!
1. Amotivation – Having no motivation or purpose
John hasn’t looked for work in weeks. He’s very amotivated.
2. Angeliferous – A person with a beautiful, sweet or innocent face, like that of an angel
What a beautiful baby! She is totally angeliferous!
=3. Angried – Someone who is troubled or upset as a result of being angry
I was so angried when they spilled ink on my rug.
4. Angsting – Someone who is worrying or agonizing over something is “angsting.”
Marsha is angsting because she can’t finish the report by the deadline.
5. Bare-bones – The basic or essential elements of something; basic, simple, minimal.
His new apartment is pretty bare-bones. He’ll need to get more furniture soon.
6. Beachside – The area beside a beach.
Should we have a picnic beachside on Saturday?
7. Blert – A person who is weak or useless, a cowardly person
I’m so looking for a new job where there aren’t any blerts.
8. Chewy – A piece of chewing gum
Would you like a chewy?
9. Chillax – a combination of “chill” and “relax” meaning to calm down, take it easy.
Let’s chillax at my place on Saturday and watch the game.
10. Comp – to give something free of charge as a favor
The restaurant comped our dinner because we had to wait so long for our food.
11. Cryptocurrency – Digital or virtual currency used on the internet and depends on cryptography for security.
He paid for his new computer with cryptocurrency.
12. Microfinance – financial services provided to poor individuals and groups in poor and developing areas
Malia founded a microfinance institution in Eritrea to provide jobs for women.
13. Nomophobia – Anxiety about not having access to a mobile phone or mobile phone services
I can’t find my phone and I’m feeling a little nomophobia here.
14. O – Used in writing to symbolize a hug, but only in combination with the letter x, which means a kiss.
Give my love to Andrew and Stacy! xoxo!
15. Shave ice – A frozen drink made with finely shaved ice and sweet syrup
Let’s get a shave ice on the way home from the baseball game.
16. Sim – A computer program that lets the user simulate a certain activity, such as building a city or flying an airplane
Jake wants a new sim game for his birthday.
17. Simples – Indicates that something is very simple or easy to do. Used after presenting the solution to a problem.
Just fold the laundry right out of the dryer and you don’t have to iron it. Simples.
18. Stuffie – A soft child’s toy, usually an animal, made of fabric with a fluffy filling.
Holly has so many stuffies on her bed that there isn’t any room for her.
19. Whatevs or Whatev – Short for whatever, used in a verbal response to a question to which the speaker is either disappointed or doesn’t care what the answer is.
“I have to work tonight so I won’t be able to see the movie with you.” “Whatevs.”
20. Weak sauce — That lacks power, substance, or credibility; pathetic, worthless; stupid.
“That movie is weak sauce! Let’s watch something better.”
5 Steps to Help You Really Learn English
Listen for these new words in your everyday conversation and find ways to use them yourself!
The beauty of studying a language is that there’s always something new you can learn! Who doesn’t want to learn a language faster, better, more easily, with more fluency, and in less time? Definitely not us! And we’re pretty sure not you, either.
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