Fan Favorite Winter Word Drop 2026
Since our last drop in August 2025, our lexicographers have added over 1,500 words to the dictionary. This marks our most expansive seasonal update yet! These new words provide a snapshot of how English continues to adapt to technological innovation and cultural trends.
At a Glance
Global influence remained a defining feature of this word drop, with English speakers continuing to adopt words from around the world. Words of Japanese origin once again led the way, extending a trend that gained momentum in 2025 amid increased tourism to Japan and the global visibility of Japanese culture. At the same time, the sustained popularity of Korean entertainment, including the hit film KPop Demon Hunters and its chart-topping soundtrack, has led to a growing interest in Korean vocabulary.
Here is the breakdown of the major languages our new entries have directly borrowed from:
Taken together, these borrowings reflect where English speakers are looking outward for cultural influence. But language doesn’t just travel across borders — it also evolves within subject areas. When we shift from where new words come from to what they describe, a clear pattern emerges.
Science and technology led this update by subject area, continuing a pattern seen in recent releases. As technical language becomes more visible in public conversation — from AI tools to biomedical advances — specialized terms increasingly cross into mainstream use. Alongside the steady influx of tech terminology, we’ve also seen increases in vocabulary related to culture, food, business, health, and politics.
Here is the breakdown of the main categories new words fall into:
🤔 How do dictionaries work?
If you’re wondering why some words that get added to the dictionary aren’t necessarily new, read more about how dictionaries work and get answers to these questions and more:
- How does a word get into the dictionary?
- That word isn’t new. Why are you adding it now?
- That’s not a word. Why is it in the dictionary?
- I just created an awesome new word. How can I get it into the dictionary?
Trends That Define This Word Drop
Fandom and Shared Cultural Identity
Fandom vocabulary highlights how shared enthusiasm becomes a marker of social identity. Our latest dictionary update includes some fandom terms with decades of history and others that have more recently entered the English lexicon.
Beyhive
noun. Also BeyHive, the fanbase of the singer Beyoncé and its online community.
Janeite
noun. a fan of the works of Jane Austen and their associated media.
Swiftie
noun. a fan of the music of Taylor Swift.
Trekkie
noun. a fan of the television series and films that form the Star Trek universe, and associated media.
Internet Culture, Media, and Gaming
The internet moves fast, but some concepts keep resurfacing. These words capture ideas from online and gaming culture that have shown strong use across platforms.
copium
noun. Slang. a metaphorical substance signifying that someone is engaging in self-delusion to deal with a loss or a difficult realization.
isekai
noun. a Japanese science fiction or fantasy genre in which the main character is transported to another world.
roguelike
noun. a computer game genre, typically featuring dungeon crawl gameplay, algorithmically generated levels, text-based or 2D visuals, permanent character death, and other elements inspired by the 1980 game Rogue.
side quest
noun. a quest or objective in a story or video game that is related to but not directly part of the main storyline or objective.
Science, Health, and the Body
Some scientific terms don’t stay in the labs. These words have shown up in headlines, health reporting, and everyday conversations about bodies, brains, and aging.
health span
noun. the typical period of a person’s life during which they are consistently in good health.
hypermobility
noun. Medicine/Medical. greater than normal flexibility or range of motion in one or more joints.
nanoplastic
noun. a tiny particle of plastic, especially one 1000 nanometers or less, formed from the breakdown of other plastics.
Food and Global Cuisine
Culinary terms are among the most common borrowings into English, with many recent additions stirred into English vocabulary thanks to global travel and trendy food influencers.
furikake
noun. Japanese Cooking. a mixture of dried seaweed, sesame seeds, salt, and often other ingredients such as powdered mushrooms, sprinkled over rice, vegetables, or other food as seasoning.
jjigae
noun. Korean Cooking. a traditional Korean stew.
smashburger
noun. Cooking. a hamburger with a patty that is cooked by pressing it very thin onto a hot griddle or cooking surface.
Business and Technology
Work and money don’t stand still, and neither does the language around them. We have added some terms that reflect shifting rules around access, labor, and organization.
deep tech
noun. technology based on advanced scientific or engineering breakthroughs; the industry surrounding such technology.
femtech
noun. digital technologies designed specifically for women’s health, especially those that focus on menstrual, reproductive, and sexual healthcare (often used attributively).
purple squirrel
noun. Slang. a hypothetical person sought by an employer, with the ideal combination of temperament, experience, and education for a particular job.
timebox
noun. Business. the strictly limited time period during which a project must be completed.
Summary
The 2026 winter word drop adds over 1,500 words to our dictionary, reflecting how people worldwide are currently using English. The words come from daily life and world culture alike, reminding us how language always finds something new to say about our habits, our interests, and the way we treat one another.
Be sure to check out some of our previous word drops here:
Summer Word Drop 2025
Summer Word Drop 2024
Fall Word Drop 2023
