Every generation has its defining words and phrases – from sweatbands and air guitar to doomscrolling and avocado toast.
Now, a tool can help you discover what words really were ‘born’ in the same year as you.
Researchers from Merriam–Webster have developed a ‘Time Traveler‘ tool which allows you to find which words were added to the dictionary during the year of your birth.
The amusing results show how some years really are characterised by a set of terms. For example, words that were added in the year 1980 include air guitar, comb–over and home video.
Meanwhile those introduced to the dictionary in 2010 include 5G, Galentine’s day and Instagram, while 2020 was defined by Covid–related phrases.
The tool even allows users to go back hundreds of years, meaning they can explore words that were first recorded when the likes of William Shakespeare and Charles Darwin were born.
‘When was a word first used in print? You may be surprised! Enter a date below to see the words first recorded on that year,’ Merriam-Webster explained.
To try out the tool for yourself, visit the website here.
Researchers from Merriam–Webster have developed a ‘ Time Traveler’ tool which allows you to find which words were added to the dictionary during the year of your birth
The tool allows you to find out which words were first recorded in the dictionary during the year you were born. This chart shows some of the words added in the year 1980
The ‘first known use’ date for a word does not mark the very first time that the word was used in English.
Many words were in spoken use for decades or even longer before they passed into the written language.
Instead, the date is specifically the earliest written or printed use that the editors have been able to discover.
The tool reveals that words added in the year 1950 include action figure, anti–boss, blindside, BLT, flak jacket, goofball, house sitter, LSD, tank top and test–drive.
The year 1960 saw the addition of AAA battery, acid reflux, brain drain, cockapoo, crudités, mini, plant–based, reality check and valet parking.
1970, meanwhile, heralded the introduction of anxiety disorder, contraceptive implant, control freak, erectile dysfunction, love handles, pumpkin–spiced and X–rated to the dictionary.
By the time 1980 rolled around, advances in technology were mirrored in the new words added.
These included home video and voicemail – along with air guitar, baby bump, comb–over, exfoliator, fugly, high five, oat milk and PTSD.
The year 1990 – in the grips of the Millennial era – heralded the introduction of bodycon, console game, gift card and hoodie
The turn of the millennium saw climate change denial, crunk, deep web and Google added to the ever–growing list
The year 1990 – in the grips of the Millennial era – heralded the introduction of bodycon, console game, gift card, hoodie, malware, microplastic, rewild, soundbar, spam and World Wide Web.
Meanwhile the turn of the millennium saw climate change denial, crunk, deep web, e–book, emotional support animal, FaceTime, Google and side plank added to the dictionary.
Words including 5G, body–shamer, breadcrumbing, Galentine’s Day, Instagram, orange wine and polycule were all added in 2010.
And in the year 2020 – defined by the outbreak of a global pandemic – words such as Covid–19, Covid toes, doomscroll, mask acne, passenger princess and physically distance were included.
The tool has proved popular online, with many users taking to social media to share their ‘birth year words’.
One said: ‘I was born the same year the phrase “carbon capture and storage” was invented.’
Someone else described it as ‘so useful for understanding how culture develops’.
Meanwhile another joked: ‘I was born with bi–curious, death metal, French pedicure, socially distance and sriracha and by god I will die by them as well.’
The year 2020 was defind by Covid–related phrases alongside doomscroll, passenger princess and wandering dude
Earlier this year, experts from Preply revealed Britain’s favourite traditional idioms amid a revival of older expressions.
Researchers analysed UK literacy data to uncover the classic idioms that have experienced an increase in usage.
Topping the list is ‘not my cup of tea’, which is a polite way to say that you don’t like or enjoy something.
Despite originating in the late 1800s, this expression saw a whopping 614 per cent increase from 2000 to 2022.
This is closely followed by ‘faff around’ – meaning to mess around or do unnecessary tasks – which has seen a 449 per cent resurgence.
