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Journalism of Courage
If you’ve ever heard a child shout “What the skibidi are you doing?” and felt like you aged ten years on the spot, well, you’re not alone. But now, thanks to the Cambridge Dictionary, it turns out that word salad is officially English.
Yup. “Skibidi”, “tradwife”, and “delulu” are among a wave of new words added this year, confirming that TikTok isn’t just shaping pop culture; it’s rewriting the dictionary, too.
“Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary,” said Colin McIntosh, lexical programme manager, in The Guardian.
So, before your younger cousins leave you behind linguistically (again), let’s decode what these new entries actually mean, and why linguists say they’re not going anywhere.
Born from the Skibidi Toilet phenomenon on YouTube — a video series of dancing toilets with human heads — “skibidi” is now officially a word. Sort of.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as: “A word that can have different meanings, such as ‘cool’ or ‘bad’, or can be used with no real meaning as a joke.”
Example: “What the skibidi are you doing?”
It’s chaotic, absurd, and confusing to adults, which is exactly why Gen Alpha loves it. As The Guardian notes, US writer and artist Lee Escobedo wasn’t entirely impressed: “Skibidi brainrot encapsulates a generation fluent in irony but starved for meaning. Their minds normalise prank-as-expression.”
So yes, “skibidi” might make zero sense, and that’s the point.
Meet the tradwife, short for “traditional wife.” This term has been floating around since 2020, but it’s now an official entry, and it continues to stir up debates.
The dictionary defines a tradwife as: “A woman who chooses to live a traditional lifestyle, especially one who posts on social media.”
Think full-time homemaker vibes, baking sourdough in vintage dresses, and gushing about serving your husband, all while going viral on TikTok and YouTube. Google Nara Smith for a visual representation.
Supporters say it’s about choice and empowerment. Critics argue it glamorises outdated gender roles. Either way, the tradwife trend is now baked right into our language, sourdough and all.
“Delulu” is short for “delusional”, and let’s be honest, it sounds way more fun. Originally coined over a decade ago to poke fun at obsessed K-pop stans who believed they’d marry their idols, delulu has become a whole movement.
Today, it’s more about the power of belief, even if it borders on wishful thinking. The official definition: “Believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to.”
TikTok has turned delulu is the solulu (translation: delusion is the solution) into a viral affirmation, encouraging people to “manifest” their dream lives, or at least dream big.
It’s gotten so mainstream that even politicians are using it. Earlier this year, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused his rivals of being: “Delulu with no solulu,” according to The Guardian.
Also new this year: broligarchy — a mash-up of “bro” and “oligarchy.” It’s a tongue-in-cheek jab at the powerful, mostly male tech leaders who control the platforms where all these new words are born.
They’re the reason why a surreal toilet video can influence a global dictionary. And while you might not hear broligarchy in everyday chat, its inclusion is a nod to who’s actually shaping digital culture.
Short answer: because they’re not just trends anymore. According to The Guardian, Colin McIntosh explained: “It’s not every day you get to see words like ‘skibidi’ and ‘delulu’ make their way into the Cambridge Dictionary. We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power.”
Translation: If people are saying it enough — especially online — it counts.
So whether you’re into ironic nonsense (skibidi), nostalgic housewife aesthetics (tradwife), delusional positivity (delulu), or calling out Silicon Valley bros (broligarchy), your vocab just got a whole lot trendier (and a little weirder).
