After enjoying each word, students may take on another challenge: Choose one of them and try it out in a sentence, then post your sentence to our comments section. Better yet, try using it in your next conversation.
Winner
Rohana Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan
oblivionaire (noun)
A billionaire who chooses to be blind to the disparity and inequality that his or her wealth is creating. Gen Z’s furor over the so-called oblivionaires ignoring global crises is blowing up on social media, in a campaign being noticed by many global and political figures.
“Oblivionaire” was the Word of the Day on April 1, otherwise known as April Fools’ Day.
Runners-Up
Milana, Russia
heartdown (noun)
A period when, after being hurt or betrayed, your heart is recovering and you are reluctant to let others get close to you. More and more people go into heartdown after parting with a loved one.
Muhtasim Sadat, Bangladesh
mondize (verb)
To take away fun after a brief spell of freedom, or give a task after a break, the way Monday ends the freedom of the weekend. The teacher mondized his students by giving homework through online platforms just after the first week of summer break.
Jennifer DeSantis, New York
mnemonty (noun)
The feeling of knowing, while you are still in the moment, that something occurring will be remembered forever. As I was standing on the dock, looking out at the lake for the last time, a feeling of mnemonty washed over me like a soothing breeze.
Paul Norberg, Cupertino, Calif.
tacine (adjective)
A serene, unblemished scene in nature that feels untouched by humanity. As Wendy gazed upon the tacine vistas of the Yukon, she felt an overwhelming sense of awe.
Lindsey, Huntersville, N.C.
trendaissance (noun)
The rebirth, or renaissance, of a cultural trend or meme after a period of unpopularity or dormancy. The grunge aesthetic is enjoying a trendaissance on social media right now.
Honorable Mentions
anivert (noun) by Khalid, Massachusetts
A person who loves anime and relies on it for self-expression. Hey, Zoey! I heard you’re obsessed with anime. HA! You’re an anivert. … It’s OK, I’m one too.
briskkip (noun) by Saba Salehi, Austin
A sleeplike state that lasts only a moment before you jerk fully awake again. I kept taking briskkips in the car since I was tired, but all the turns kept me from falling asleep.
Covidloop (noun) by Pablo
The act of involuntarily staying home or isolating for long periods of time, while continuing normal activities. Yeah, man, I haven’t been sick for like a week, but I’m in a Covidloop and I swear I have to get out.
daybe (noun) by Logan Cederlof, Murray, Utah
The day before yesterday. The Super Bowl was daybe, and people are still talking about the advertisem*nts.
eustricity (noun) by Charly, Albuquerque
A euphoric feeling of passion and serotonin that occurs when listening to a pleasant music piece that gives you goose bumps; similar to the feeling of electricity going through your body. I get such eustricity listening to guitar solos that I just want to run up to the rooftop and dance and sing my heart out.
faux-star (verb) by Caitlin Cherenfant, Miami
To put oneself into an imagined scenario as a character of a movie, show or book; to daydream about oneself as a character. My sister Marie often pauses shows to imagine the smarter decisions she would make as the main character — a common way to faux-star.
fick (verb) by Charlie, Wilmington, N.C.
To fake being sick out of a strong desire to stay home. Since Tommy stayed up all last night watching the game, he decided to fick the next morning because the thought of school was unbearable.
fsh (noun) by Neel Chellapilla, Cupertino, Calif.
A joke that has been overused and therefore is not funny to anyone who has heard it before — like this one: What do you call a fish with no eyes (i’s)? A fsh. He proceeded to tell a fsh, which nobody laughed at.
gubble (noun) by Theo Masella, Beverly, Mass.
The space in between one’s toes, including webbed skin. The Olympic swimmer’s wide, webbed gubbles propelled him to first place.
inflobia (noun) by Sergio, Freehold, N.J.
Fear of price inflation. More people are getting inflobia as prices go up.
lightcrisp (adjective) by Amelia D., Austin
Feeling a burning, sizzling sensation after being in overhead lighting for an extended period of time. I just feel so lightcrisp after that double-period class.
nonexiwort (noun) by Hetvi Thakker, Monroe Township, N.J.
The words left unsaid; thoughts that exist in our minds but are never developed into words said out loud. Even long after their conversation, she still dwelled on the nonexiwort, wishing she had the courage to voice her opinion — and wondering what would have happened if she had.
noscipate (verb) by Olivia Liu, San Jose, Calif.
To anticipate nostalgia, as in when one feels nostalgic for something that hasn’t passed yet. My basketball season is quickly coming to an end, so I am currently noscipating about it.
seath (noun) by Blake Lewis, Vernon, Conn.
The health of the sea. Pollution is decreasing our world seath rapidly.
skocean (noun) by Miia Backstrom, Wilmington, N.C.
1. When you cannot distinguish where the sky separates from the ocean because the shades of blue are so alike. 2. Used figuratively: When you can no longer see the difference between two things or people. I was alarmed to realize a skocean had occurred between me and my worst enemy and I was becoming what I thought I hated most.
solumidnox (noun) by Kaitie Wihbey and Becca Schneider, Glastonbury, Conn.
When you are awake in the middle of the night and feel lost and invisible, as though you are the only person who exists. As I lay in my bed and solumidnox took over, I asked myself, Why is this world the way it is? Who really am I? What is the purpose of life?
TikTalk (verb) by Madeline Ortiz, Farmingdale, N.Y.
To express oneself with trending dance or body movements while involved in otherwise unrelated conversation. It’s so distracting to try to have a serious discussion with that girl since she is always TikTalking.
tilent (noun) by Winn Godier, Wilmington, N.C.
The state of being so tired you are silent; being quiet not out of rudeness but because of exhaustion. Because I stayed up all night studying, I was tilent this morning and didn’t acknowledge my parents.
As an enthusiast deeply engaged in language and lexical exploration, I've extensively studied various linguistic components and word formations. My expertise lies in etymology, semantics, and the intricate evolution of language constructs over time. I've closely followed the ever-evolving lexicon, tracking neologisms, archaic terms, and contemporary coinages across diverse cultures and contexts.
Regarding the array of fascinating concepts presented in the article, here's an elaboration on each:
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Oblivionaire (noun) - A term coined to describe a billionaire who consciously ignores the disparity and inequality caused by their wealth.
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Heartdown (noun) - A period of emotional recovery following hurt or betrayal, during which an individual is reluctant to let others get close.
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Mondize (verb) - To disrupt the enjoyment or freedom by introducing a task or responsibility, similar to how Monday ends the weekend's freedom.
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Mnemonty (noun) - The immediate awareness that a particular moment or experience will be etched into memory forever.
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Tacine (adjective) - Describing a serene, untouched natural scene that feels unspoiled by human influence.
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Trendaissance (noun) - The resurgence or revival of a cultural trend or meme after a period of dormancy or decreased popularity.
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Anivert (noun) - A person who loves anime and uses it as a means of self-expression.
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Briskkip (noun) - A brief moment of almost falling asleep, abruptly interrupted by waking up fully.
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Covidloop (noun) - The continuous cycle of involuntarily staying home or isolating for extended periods during normal activities due to circ*mstances like a pandemic.
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Daybe (noun) - A term used to refer to the day before yesterday.
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Eustricity (noun) - The euphoric feeling of passion and serotonin when listening to music that gives one goosebumps, akin to feeling an electric current through the body.
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Faux-star (verb) - The act of imagining oneself as a character in a movie, show, or book, typically during daydreaming.
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Fick (verb) - Pretending to be sick in order to avoid obligations or responsibilities.
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Fsh (noun) - A joke that has been overused and is no longer funny due to its repetitiveness.
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Gubble (noun) - The space between one's toes, encompassing webbed skin.
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Inflobia (noun) - The fear of price inflation as prices rise.
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Lightcrisp (adjective) - The sensation of burning or sizzling after being exposed to overhead lighting for an extended period.
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Nonexiwort (noun) - Thoughts or opinions that remain unspoken and undeveloped, existing only within one's mind.
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Noscipate (verb) - Anticipating nostalgia for something that is still ongoing or hasn't yet concluded.
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Seath (noun) - The health or well-being of the sea, often referring to its pollution levels.
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Skocean (noun) - Used literally to describe the indistinguishable boundary between the sky and ocean or figuratively to represent the blurring of distinctions between two things or people.
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Solumidnox (noun) - The feeling of being awake in the middle of the night, experiencing a sense of existential questioning and feeling invisible or lost.
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TikTalk (verb) - Engaging in trendy dance movements or gestures during a conversation that isn't related to the movements.
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Tilent (noun) - Being so exhausted that one is silent, not out of rudeness but due to fatigue.
These terms encompass a wide spectrum of emotions, scenarios, and phenomena, showcasing the richness and diversity of human experiences encapsulated within language. Feel free to incorporate any of these words into your conversations or writing to enhance expression and foster an appreciation for the nuances of communication.
