The Oxford English Dictionary has officially added a new word meaning ‘very cute’ — “gigil.” Have you ever been left speechless, unable to articulate the feeling you experience when you encounter something irresistibly adorable, like a kitten video or a charming cat picture on Instagram? Now, there’s a perfect word for it: gigil.
Gigil (pronounced as ‘ghee-gil’) is one of several “untranslatable” words included in the latest update of the Oxford English Dictionary. It is defined as an “intense feeling that causes someone to clench their teeth, squeeze their hands, or gently caress something they find endearing.” This term originates from the Tagalog language of the Philippines and represents a uniquely expressive emotion.
The latest dictionary update also includes the word ‘Alamak,’ a commonly used exclamation in Singapore and Malaysia to express surprise or frustration.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the adoption of words from other languages often occurs when English speakers encounter concepts that cannot be precisely translated into English. Over time, these borrowed or derived words become a part of English vocabulary.
The recent additions from Singapore and Malaysia reflect the region’s deep-rooted passion for food. Many of the new entries are names of popular dishes, including kaya toast, a popular breakfast item consisting of toasted bread with coconut milk, eggs, sugar, and pandan leaves, fish head stew, a culinary creation influenced by Chinese and South Indian traditions featuring a large fish head cooked in a tamarind-based stew, and steamboat, a communal dish of thinly sliced meat and vegetables cooked in boiling broth within a hot pot.
The phrase ‘tapau,’ which originates from Mandarin and Cantonese dialects meaning “to pack or wrap food for takeaway,” has also been added to the dictionary.
Additionally, new Filipino words have been recognized, such as videoke, a local variation of karaoke popular throughout the Philippines, and salacot, a lightweight, wide-brimmed hat commonly worn by farmers for sun protection. The Oxford Dictionary has also acknowledged a unique use of the English word ‘terror’ in the Philippines, where it is sometimes employed to describe a particularly strict or demanding teacher.
With over 600,000 entries, the Oxford English Dictionary is one of the most comprehensive dictionaries in the English-speaking world. Each year, its editors consider thousands of new words from various sources, including public suggestions, references, and linguistic databases. This latest update also features words and phrases from South Africa and Ireland, further broadening the dictionary’s recognition of global linguistic diversity.
