Do You Know The Meaning Of Adorkable And These Other 'New' Words?

Thanks to the internet and the ever-shrinking global village that keeps contributing new words to the English language; we are constantly having to update our vocabulary. It is either that or we are unable to comprehend a lot of what is being said around us. So here are some new words/terms and their meanings and some old ones with new meanings:

Adorkable

This one is obvious: adorable + dork… someone who is charmingly dorky or adorably awkward. You can use it like this: The little puppy is so adorkable I could just squeeze the breath out of him.

Swole

This means extremely buff or muscular – probably from the word ‘swollen’? You can use it like this: He's on Instagram posting before and after pictures talking about how swole he got.

Stan (as a verb and noun, not short for Stanley)

This is the word you use to refer to an obsessive or ultra-devoted fan and comes from the song Stan by Eminem. Use it like this: these kids have been waiting outside the venue for an evening concert since 8 A:M... What a bunch of Stans!

Salutogenesis/salutogenic

This word signals the shift away from curative medicine to preventive medicine. Salutogenesis is a more evolved way of thinking about health; “monitoring health by promoting well-being rather than measuring disease”. Use it like this: The institute advocates a salutogenic approach to male health which focuses on the causal factors behind health.

Clapback

You know that witty putdown you thought of half an hour after someone was rude to you? This is that; only instant! A clapback is a quick, sharp response to criticism; a sometimes vicious retort meant to put someone in their place as it were. Use it as in the pic above; not exactly like that though; that would be mean.

New meaning of snowflake

In this sense, it has nothing to do with precipitation. Snowflake now means someone who is or who expects to be treated as “overly special or unique”; someone overly sensitive or easily offended. Use it like Clint Eastwood in that meme – but maybe not that rudely?

Garbage time

This refers to the final moments of a “game in which one side has an insurmountable lead”. Use it like this: this is basically RCB facing garbage time overs, they are never going to be able to match CSK’s total and get 50 runs in the last two overs.

Screen time now means something else

Back in the day it measured the about of time the audience got to see someone on screen. Now it means how many hours you spend in front of a screen each day. Use it like the meme – exactly like that. Especially when trying to wean little kids off gadgets.

Gig economy

This is not an economy that runs on gigabytes; it is merely one that is largely composed of freelancers or temporary workers doing jobs “typically in the service sector”. Use it exactly as in the meme, apparently, the gig economy is set to become bigger and bigger in times to come.

Vulture capitalism

Yes vulture, not venture. Vulture capitalism is about buying ailing businesses and then selling them for profit. That is about right: vulture capitalism is like profiting from pain.

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