7 new words added to Collins Dictionary

Here are seven of the latest new words added to Collins English Dictionary online. A few of the terms in this update might seem a little on the negative side, with the inclusion of the underhand practice of ‘sealioning’ and the rather harsh judgment implied in ‘ugly cry’. The consequences of the pandemic on language are still very much apparent, as we acknowledge the ‘green lists’ of permissible travel destinations being drawn up in many countries. However, our appetite for good food and drink does not seem to have diminished, and a bit of light relief can be found in the newest foodie additions, namely ‘bean-to-cup’ and ‘sofrito’. We also continue to see new words derived from Korean – one of Duolingo’s fastest-growing language courses in 2020 – making an impact on Collins English Dictionary online, this time with the addition of ‘hanbok’.

bean-to-cup  adjective  denoting a complete process for making coffee from whole coffee beans

bio break  noun  an interval in an activity to allow a person to go to the lavatory
Word origin: C20: short for biological break

green list  noun a list of people or things that are permitted

sealion  verb (transitive)  slang  to harass (someone) by repeatedly asking disingenuous questions while pretending to be sincere
Derived form: sealioning noun

hanbok  noun a traditional style of clothing, characterized by a lonɡ hiɡh-waisted skirt, worn in Korea for formal occasions
Word origin: Korean, literally: Korean dress

sofrito  noun  a seasoned mixture of fried vegetables, used as a base for dishes in Mediterranean and Caribbean cookery
Word origin: Spanish, past participle of sofreír to fry lightly

ugly cry  noun  1 an intense crying fit that causes the face to become contorted  ▷ verb  ugly-cry  2 (intransitive) to cry in a manner that contorts the face

Written by Mary O’Neill, managing editor.

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