‘Hangry’ and ‘mansplaining’ among new words added to Oxford English Dictionary

Other additions include ‘snowflake’, ‘EGOT’ and ‘tomgirl’

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The list of new words being added to the Oxford English Dictionary this January has been released, and you may be familiar with a lot of them.

“Snowflake”, “mansplaining”, “hangry”... if you’re an avid social media user, then chances are you’ve already come across these terms many times before.

However, they are only some of a number of well-known words that are finally being recognised by the Oxford English Dictionary, which is updated on a quarterly basis.

The update will see 1,100 new words, phrases and senses added to the dictionary.

Some of the words on the list are already a part of the English vernacular, but have been updated to feature new definitions.

For example, in the present global political climate, the word “snowflake” is now used as “an insulting term for a person characterised as overly sensitive or easily offended, or as feeling entitled to special treatment or consideration,” explains Katherine Connor Martin, head of US dictionaries.

“Mansplaining” has also been included, which of course refers to the action of a man explaining something to a woman in a condescending way.

Even if you’ve never heard of the word “hangry”, chances are you’ve experienced that crippling state of feeling both starving hungry and increasingly angry at the same time.

Anyone who follows American awards ceremonies will be able to tell you that if a person is referred to as an “EGOT”, then they’ve truly conquered the entertainment industry by winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony.

A variety of acronyms can also be seen on the list, such as "TTC", a term using my online parenting forum Mumsnet which means “Trying to conceive.”

While the Oxford English Dictionary has provided a very comprehensive list, there are some words that they seem to have missed.

“Breadcrumbing” is a popular term used in dating when someone will send you occasional messages to maintain your interest but is reluctant to actually fully commit.

“Extra” and “basic” are also used frequently on social media to refer to people who are overly dramatic or those who are only interested in mainstream things, respectively.

We’re just waiting for “covfefe” to make an appearance in the Oxford English Dictionary's next update.