Mon. Aug 18th, 2025
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SOCIAL media slang words skibidi, tradwife and delulu have been added to the Cambridge Dictionary.

They are among thousands of new expressions, which also include the working from home term “mouse jiggler” and toxic “forever chemicals”.

Skibidi has different meanings, such as “cool” or “bad”, and can also be used with no real meaning, for example in: “What the skibidi are you doing?”

The term was coined by the creator of a viral animated video series called Skibidi Toilet on YouTube, Cambridge Dictionary said.

Tradwife — short for traditional wife — is a married woman who cooks and cleans and stays at home to look after her children.

And delulu means somebody who chooses to believe things which are not true — as in delusional.

Colin McIntosh, of Cambridge Dictionary, said: “Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary.

“We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power.”

The dictionary uses a database of more than two billion words in written and spoken English to observe how new words are used by different people, how often and in which context.

Remote working helped “mouse jiggler” — a device or piece of software used to make it seem as though a shirker is working — gain its place in the dictionary.

And “forever chemicals” are man-made substances which do not naturally break down and pollute the environment or the body.

A made-up word from a 22-year-old ‘Simpsons’ episode finally makes it into the dictionary
Student's hand pointing to a word in a dictionary.

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Social media slang words skibidi, tradwife and delulu have been added to the Cambridge DictionaryCredit: Getty

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