From delulu to skibidi: gen z slang officially enters Cambridge Dictionary

Cambridge University Press has added 6,000 new entries to the online edition of the Cambridge Dictionary over the past year, with several terms popularised by Gen Z and Gen Alpha — including "delulu," "skibidi," and "tradwife" — making the cut.

The dictionary defines delulu, derived from the word delusional, as "believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to." As an example, it cited a 2025 speech in parliament where Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used the phrase “delulu with no solulu.”

Another addition is skibidi, a term spread widely by the viral YouTube channel Skibidi Toilet and now associated with online meme culture. The dictionary notes the word has multiple uses — from meaning “cool” or “bad” to being deployed with no particular meaning at all — reflecting the nonsensical, “brain-rot” style of content consumed heavily by Gen Alpha.

Meanwhile, tradwife, a portmanteau of "traditional wife," has been included to capture what the dictionary calls a “growing, controversial Instagram and TikTok trend that embraces traditional gender roles.”

Other new entries include lewk, a RuPaul’s Drag Race – popularised word for a standout fashion look; inspo, short for inspiration; and mouse jiggler, a gadget used in remote work culture to simulate activity online while an employee is away from their desk.

The dictionary has also introduced forever chemical, a phrase describing man-made substances that persist in the environment for decades and are increasingly linked to climate and health concerns.

“It’s not every day you get to see words like skibidi and delulu make their way into the Cambridge Dictionary,” said Colin McIntosh, Lexical Programme Manager at Cambridge Dictionary. “We only add words where we think they’ll have staying power. Internet culture is changing the English language, and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the Dictionary.”