Do you know what ick, boop and chef’s kiss mean, words added to the Cambridge dictionary?

Have you ever felt “icked” by someone or had your efforts dubbed a “chef’s kiss”?

If these terms sound unfamiliar to you, it might be time for you to explore Cambridge Dictionary’s latest update.

This year, one of the world’s most popular dictionaries has expanded its wordbook by nearly 3,200 new terms and phrases —many of which have gained traction online.

Wendalyn Nichols, Cambridge Dictionary’s publishing manager, explained the motivation behind the update and said, “Language is dynamic, changing right along with technology and culture. Some new terms are added very quickly and others can take some time. We try to identify words and uses that have proven staying power, rather than adding ones that might be short-lived.”

Here is a list of the trendy (not to mention Gen Z-friendly) words that have found a place in the Cambridge Dictionary this year and their meaning

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Ick

Defined as a “sudden feeling that you dislike someone or something or are no longer attracted to someone because of something they do.”

The term has become a major buzzword in dating culture these days and people are now sharing their quirkiest “icks.” For instance, the dictionary illustrates: “I used to like Kevin, but when I saw him in that suit, it gave me the ick.”

Boop

This is a gesture that means a “gentle hit or touch on a person’s or animal’s nose or head, showing that you like them or as a joke”.

For example, “If your dog growls or cowers, it’s a sign they do not like boops.” or  “The viral video showed a cute golden retriever getting boops on his nose.”

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Chef’s kiss

Cambridge Dictionary defines it as a “movement in which you put your fingers and thumb together, kiss them, then pull your hand away from your lips as a way of showing that you think that something or someone is perfect or excellent”.

The word actually comes from an Italian expression “al bacio”, which means that a dish is as good as a kiss.

You can use the phrase like: “Dumplings are the *chef’s kiss* of foods.” or “Those days when you’ve stayed out late but still wake up feeling fresh and full of energy are truly a chef’s kiss”.

IYKYK

This term is an abbreviation for “if you know you know”, used to suggest shared knowledge or a private joke that others might not understand.

Take, for instance, “If you see the game’s score, I should be head coach #iykyk” or “Finding a great pair of jeans at a thrift store is an unbeatable feeling – Iykyk”

This baby

This phrase is used for “something such as a device, vehicle, or product, especially one that you approve of or find impressive in some way”

For example,” This ship is state-of-the-art. You would have to try pretty hard to sink this baby."

Face journey

You go through a face journey when they have a series of expressions on their face showing different emotions that they are experiencing as a reaction to something.

For instance, “Watch this woman’s face journey after she tries this cheese.” or “Having been asked to be quiet, he expresses himself through a silent face journey.”

Go over to the dark side

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, this means “to start to behave in a way that is evil or harmful.”

For example, “I wrote about a doctor who had gone over to the dark side and was promoting unproven fad diets.”

Copypasta

This refers to “a text that is shared many times on the internet, especially a block of text that is often copied and pasted.”

You can use this term like, “Please don’t post spam or copypasta to this thread.” and “The tweet was an ironic hit with social media users and has become a copypasta.”

Porch piracy

This refers to an “act of stealing parcels that have been left outside people’s houses for them.”

This time, the Cambridge Dictionary has also added words that are commonly used in Online gaming, this includes words like “side-quest” or “speedrun”.

Speedrun

This means “completing a video game or a part of one as quickly as possible, especially by taking advantage of any glitches”.

This phrase can be used in day to day life like, “He gets up late but he always speed runs his morning shower.” or “I tried to speedrun college but it affected my mental health.”

Side-quest

During online gaming, this means “a part of a computer game that has its own aim and story but is not part of the main game”

However, in everyday life, this term actually refers to “an activity that is done in addition to another activity and is less important than it”.

For instance: “After making a side quest to look for shoes, we carried on with the main business of shopping for a wedding dress.”

“These gaming-inspired words have also begun to influence how we talk about our offline lives," Colin McIntosh, Cambridge Dictionary programme manager said in The Guardian report.

With input from agencies