These are new words or phrases that have caught my eye. My definition of a new word is one which is not in the Macquarie Dictionary online.
Some words seem to have more significance than others in terms of reflecting changes in the Australian culture, so I will give each word a Zeitgeist rating (ZG) within a range of 1-10.
If you disagree with the rating that I give, please argue your case in the comment field provided.
I would love you to contact me if you have made any new word discoveries of your own.
A micromance is an instance of affectionate care shown by one partner to another, often in little ways rather than as a big extravagant gesture.
ZG: 4
It is surprising how popular these words for small moments of connection are at the moment.
Read MoreWe have heard about blood diamonds and blood minerals — diamonds and rare minerals sold to fund a conflict somewhere in the world. Now we have blood oil.
ZG: 5
This is an emotive term which will be employed in the Russia/Ukraine conflict.
Read MoreIn the revelations about Iranian antisemitic activity in Australia we were introduced to the espionage term cut-out.
ZG": 2
A bit of spy jargon that surfaced in mainstream discussions.
Read MoreThe weather is changing, giving us new weather phenomena and requiring new terms to attach to them. A thirstwave is one such weather event, if not created then at least exacerbated by climate change.
ZG: 3
Not a general word yet, but its time may come.
Read MoreThis is a company that provides massive computing hardware and software on a needs basis to other companies and organisations.
ZG: 6
AS the demand for AI increases so will the supply of computing resources from the hyperscalers.
Read MoreThis is the term for the situation in which one partner (mostly the female partner) accepts that the marriage is over. But there are reasons why they want to stay in their current situation so they keep their decision quiet.
ZG: 4
We seem to love names for generations and names for relationships.
Read MoreThis has been a practice for many years for which we have not had a name — until now. In moments of stress it can be calming to retire to the bathroom.
ZG: 5
It’s good to have a name at last for this fairly common practice.
Read MoreThe nanoship is a fleeting moment of connection with another person, a moment of eye contact, a brief flirty conversation, a shared joke, a fleeting touch.
ZG: 6
Very trendy at the moment but possibly short-lived.
Read MoreThis is a form of financial abuse in which a domestic partner is bullied or conned into becoming a director in the company of the perpetrator who then proceeds to strip the company of profits while loading it with debt.
ZG: 5
I can remember when the new term financial abuse entered the dictionary. We are now refining the types.
Read MoreBasic AI is good at swiftly collecting and presenting information in a readable form. The AI agent goes one step further and actually performs a requested task.
ZG: 5
Still part of the advance guard of AI jargon but a term that will become more common.
Read MoreUse of ketamine continues but this year Australians have been credited with hitting on a solution to the k hole — the walking stick now known in drug-taking circles as the ket stick.
ZG: 4
Certainly currency among those who attend bush door but perhaps not for the rest of us.
Read MoreWhen a Gen Z person has something important that they want to focus on — a project to complete, an exam to sit — they announce to all and sundry that they are locked in.
ZG: 5
If you are Gen Z or Alpha then you probably use this expression a lot.
Read MoreA terrible sadness has come upon us as we realise that the internet, one of the marvels of our day, is now ruined. It is full of AI slop and algorithmic manipulation.
ZG: 6
A term that we will be encountering more frequently.
Read MoreThis is another Gen Z trend. They have decided that it makes more sense to date people who are beneath their level — in looks, income, prospects, intelligence, whatever.
ZG: 4
Possibly a fad that will soon be over.
Read MoreThis is Gen Z slang meaning ‘ugly’, said to have originated in Black American English, possibly in the New York/Jersey district. The theory is that it relates to chop meaning ‘to cut roughly’.
ZG: 5
In its broadest sense it seems to be becoming more common.
Read MoreWomen have come to feel that doctors (mostly men) do not take what they say about their symptoms or their general state of health seriously, downplaying their pain and taking too much time to identify their problems (as with endometriosis).
ZG: 4
It may do some good to have this labelling of what might otherwise be thought of as mild neglect.
Read MoreSnail farming may be taking off in Australia because now, as well as eating the snail (as escargots) we can eat the eggs of the snail as snail caviar.
ZG: 3
Not popular yet!
Read MoreThe dictionary at the moment has just the one entry for corruption. This, I have discovered, is not nearly good enough. There is a corruption glossary that needs to be considered for inclusion. We can start with grey corruption because that has come to the fore in the Victorian inquiry into the behaviour of the ALP in that state.
ZG: 5
A piece of jargon in the world of politics but of concern for us all. It is what is called more generally ‘jobs for the boys’.
Read MoreApparently the dead giveaway for the performative male is the tote bag, often with Labubu doll attached. The second clue is that they are clutching a book by a female author, which they read as they sip their matcha latte.
ZG: 4
It seems that it has become difficult for men to choose the right fashion statement.
Read MoreThis is the rather unappealing name for the rebel Rugby competition. What every rebel competition needs is people with money to back it. In this case the money that secured the venture came from private backers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
ZG: 5
This keeps resurfacing as a sports news item as the struggle for players continues.
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