Neologisms 2024
by Northern Life
neologisms: /nɪˈɒlədʒɪz(ə)m/ noun. plural noun: neologisms a newly coined word or expression
Every year new words enter our language, shaped by the developing world in which we live, check out the latest neologisms of 2024…
The internet:
The place where we all create new things every day, the internet of course, has provided us with loads of new words in 2024.
Doomscrolling: While “doomscrolling” has been around for a few years, its relevance has intensified, especially during tumultuous times. It refers to the act of continuously scrolling through negative news on social media or the internet, often leading to increased anxiety and hopelessness. This term speaks to our habits in consuming news and the psychological effects it can have.
Enshittification: Have you noticed that a Google search no longer yields useful information or that YouTube rarely recommends videos you enjoy? This process is known as enshittification—the gradual degradation of online platforms or services that are usually free to use as they attempt to increase profits.
Hallucinate: While the word itself isn’t new, one of its meanings is more modern. Have you ever tried using AI to find facts about something? When information isn’t readily available, the AI might make things up to provide you with an answer, thus ‘hallucinating’.
Finfluencer: This has emerged to describe financial influencers who share investment tips, personal finance advice, and wealth- building strategies online.
Prompt: Another AI term, a prompt is simply the input or question provided to systems like ChatGPT or Bard to generate responses.
Metaverse-ification: The concept of the “metaverse” continues to develop, leading to the term “metaverse-ification.” This neologism refers to the process of transforming physical experiences, businesses, and social interactions into virtual or augmented realities.
Binge-ability: With streaming services dominating entertainment consumption, “binge-ability” describes the quality of a show or series that makes it easy and enticing for viewers to watch multiple episodes in one sitting.
Skimmable: Describes content that is easy to scan or quickly digest. This term has become increasingly relevant for online articles, social media posts, and newsletters, where readers often skim rather than read in detail.
Gaming:
Just like the internet, gaming has become an intrinsic part of our daily lives. From practising languages on Duolingo to matching candies in Candy Crush, gaming is undertaken by an increasingly broad section of society. It’s no surprise that gaming terms are making their way into everyday language.
Speed Run: Originally used by gamers to describe the process of completing a video game as quickly as possible, this term is now applied in real life to describe completing any task rapidly. Sometimes, it’s
used negatively, such as describing a couple who quickly married and then divorced—“they speedran marriage.”
Side Quest: Another gaming term now used in everyday life. In games, a side quest is a task separate from the main story and usually doesn’t have to be completed. It now often refers to impromptu tasks that distract someone from their primary goal.
Relationships:
Despite the many changes in the world, getting into (and out of ) relationships is a constant, and we’re still inventing new words to describe them.
The Ick: Thought to have originated in the 90s on the US comedy-drama Ally McBeal, “the ick” describes a sudden feeling of revulsion or discomfort toward someone you’re dating. It’s often triggered by trivial actions, such as chewing loudly or wearing a canary-yellow shirt.
Beige Flag: Inspired by the term ‘red flags,’ which refers to signs of bad behaviour (like being rude to service staff or eating the last biscuit without asking), beige flags describe traits in a potential partner that aren’t necessarily deal breakers but indicate that they may be boring. It often refers to generic dating profile blurbs about loving long walks, pub lunches, and going to the cinema.
Lifestyle:
Here are some new words you might have heard around the home or office to describe our lives, hobbies, and styles:
Goblin Mode: A word that went viral in 2022 and is now widely used to describe a state of being where someone indulges in laziness, messiness, or lack of productivity— without shame. It often refers to how someone behaves in private, away from social media.
Eco-anxiety: As climate change becomes an increasingly pressing issue, ‘eco-anxiety’ has entered everyday discourse. This term describes the chronic fear of environmental doom and the distress that arises from awareness of ecological catastrophes.
Bed Rotting: Ever reach the weekend and feel so tired that you’d love to spend Saturday in bed? Some people actually do, calling it “bed rotting.” This term describes spending an entire day in bed as an act of self-care or decompression.
Hustle-culture Fatigue: While “hustle culture” has often been celebrated in today’s fast-paced society, it has also led to widespread burnout. The term “hustle-culture fatigue” captures the exhaustion and dissatisfaction felt by individuals who have been conditioned to prioritise relentless work and productivity.
Cli-fi: Short for ‘climate fiction’, ‘cli-fi’ refers to a genre of literature and media that focuses on climate change and its impacts on society.
Workation: As remote work becomes more prevalent, the term ‘workation’ has gained popularity. It combines ‘work’ and ‘vacation,’ referring to the practice of working remotely from a holiday destination.
Words, words, words!
The new words of 2024 help us to understand one another and the world around us better. Here’s hoping that 2025 has more wonderful words around the corner.
NorthernLife Dec/Jan/Feb 24/25
