2013's weird and wonderful words and phrases: Selfies joined by boiling the ocean, phubbing and buffling
- Expert Adam Jacot de Boinod has released his annual list of words
- Terms have been creeping into newspapers, broadcasts and social media
- New words include faithiest, bankster, facekini and prancercise
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We've only just got used to younger generations talking about selfies and twerking – but 2013’s most popular words are already in danger of being overtaken by a new set of weird and wonderful terms.
Expert Adam Jacot de Boinod has released his annual list of words creeping into newspapers, broadcasts and on electronic and social media over the past 12 months, which include phubbing, facekini and on the bubble.
Here are just some of the dozens of additions to the English language he identified, a legacy for which future generations may or may not be grateful...
Barack Obama, David Cameron and Helle Thorning Schmidt might be fans of the selfie, but 2013's most popular word is in danger of being overtaken by a new set of terms
Push ring: A ring that a man presents to his partner after she has given birth.
Underbrag: Admitting failings in a way that proves you are confident enough not to care.
Brass ceiling: The difficulty that women face in rising to high positions in the military.
Faitheist: An atheist who is tolerant of religions.
Bankster: A banker whose actions are illegal.
@Pontifex: The Twitter name of Pope Francis.
Pope Francis's Twitter name @Pontifex is among the terms on Adam Jacot de Boinod's list
Prancercise: A form of exercise that mimics horse moves.
Listicle: An article based on a list of points.
Caxirola: Instrument created for the World Cup in Brazil.
Phubbing: The act of snubbing someone in a social setting by looking at your phone instead of paying attention.
A push ring is an item of jewellery that a man presents to his partner after she has given birth
Doorer: A person who causes a cyclist to fall by opening a car door.
Boil the ocean: To undertake something over-ambitious.
Buffling: Speaking off-the-point in a business context.
Facekini: A face mask worn on the beach to avoid tanning.
On the bubble: At a point where success or failure will be decided.
- Adam Jacot de Boinod is the author of The Meaning of Tingo And Other Extraordinary Words From Around the World, published by Penguin Books.
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