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The Cambridge Dictionary announced this week that they have added over 6,000 new words and definitions to their online dictionary over the last 12 months. Many of the words added to the Cambridge Dictionary were added based on use by riven by social media personalities and celebrities. Among the new words that were added are skibidi, delulu, tradwife, and broligarchy. (Note: as I write this, my spellcheck thinks all four of those words are either misspellings or not real words.)
“The words have grown in use across social and mainstream media and beyond, linked to celebrities and influencers such as Kim Kardashian (skibidi), Hannah Neeleman of @ballerinafarm (tradwife) and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (delulu with no solulu),” the Cambridge Dictionary wrote in a press release.
What do these words actually mean?
Skibidi “has different meanings such as cool or bad, or can be used with no real meaning as a joke.” So, like six-seven? It first came into being thanks to the creator of a viral animated video series titled Skibidi Toilet. It is, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, popular among gen alpha (another new term that was added this past year).
Delulu is a play on the word delusional, and means “believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to.” And yes, the Australian Prime Minister actually used this word in 2025 during a speech to parliament.
Tradwifes is short for “traditional wife” – “a married woman, especially one who posts on social media, who stays at home doing cooking, cleaning, etc. and has children that she takes care of.” Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown has been referred to as a tradwife, even though she has no kids and a very high-profile job. (Yes, it is all very confusing.)
Broligarchy is a blend of the words bro and oligarchy. It is defined as “a small group of men, especially men owning or involved in a technology business, who are extremely rich and powerful, and who have or want political influence.” Men like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg are considered to be part of the broligarchy.
What else? And why?
Other words that the Cambridge Dictionary has highlighted being added in 2025 include: inspo, lewk, snackable, mouse jiggler, vampire tasks, pleasanteeism, conscious quitting, flextirement, wanderpreneur, coffee badging, noctalgia, cloud milking, decel, meta face, and greenager.
“It’s not every day you get to see words like skibidi and delulu make their way into the Cambridge Dictionary,” said Colin McIntosh, lexical program manager at Cambridge Dictionary. “We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power. Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the Dictionary.”