After Skibidi, Delulu And Tradwife Make Their Way Into The Cambridge Dictionary: Meaning, Use And Significance

Gen Z slang is moving from internet culture into formal recognition, signalling how digital platforms are reshaping everyday English. In 2025, the Cambridge Dictionary added more than 6,000 new entries, including 'skibidi', 'delulu' and 'tradwife'.

The update highlights how expressions once dismissed as online jokes or niche references can gain lasting influence, earning a place in one of the world's most authoritative English-language dictionaries. It also demonstrates how rapidly youth culture now influences vocabulary across the UK and beyond.

Skibidi, Delulu and Tradwife: What They Mean

'Skibidi' originates from a viral YouTube animation series and functions as a flexible, nonsensical term. Depending on context, it can signal approval, disapproval or humour. Colin McIntosh, lexical programme manager at Cambridge, noted that its inclusion reflects the impact of internet culture on mainstream English.

'Delulu', short for 'delusional', describes believing in unrealistic things, often deliberately. It first circulated in K-pop fandoms before spreading through TikTok. The word has even entered political debate, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joking in Parliament that his opponents were 'delulu with no solulu', The Guardian reported.

'Tradwife', a blend of 'traditional wife', refers to women embracing homemaking while sharing their lifestyles online. The term has fuelled debate about conservative gender roles and the online communities that promote them, particularly on Instagram and TikTok.

Why These Words Were Added

The Cambridge Dictionary selects new entries after extensive research into how terms are used in real-world contexts. Consistent appearance across speech, online platforms and published sources is required before a word is added.

Social media has accelerated the journey from niche usage to mainstream adoption. Linguist Christian Ilbury told AP News that expressions such as 'delulu' had existed for years in smaller circles, but platforms like TikTok and YouTube gave them broader visibility.

Other new entries followed a similar path. 'Rizz', meaning charisma or charm, and 'situationship', referring to an undefined romantic relationship, gained traction online before entering common speech. Their inclusion underscores the dictionary's role in documenting rather than prescribing language.

What These Additions Reveal

The addition of Gen Z slang reflects wider cultural and ideological trends. Terms such as 'skibidi' and 'lewk' (stylised 'look') showcase how humour and irony underpin much of youth communication, reported CBS News. 'Tradwife' highlights the growing prominence of lifestyle movements rooted in domestic ideals, while 'delulu' captures the appeal of manifesting one's own reality, according to The Independent.

For UK audiences, the update also illustrates how slang spreads globally. Words can originate in Asia or North America, gain momentum through social platforms, and quickly reach recognition by institutions such as Cambridge University Press.

A Living Record of English

With the addition of 'skibidi', 'delulu' and 'tradwife', alongside thousands of other terms from technology, science and daily life, the Cambridge Dictionary confirms that slang created online is becoming part of standard usage.

As digital culture continues to shape expression, dictionaries are adapting to capture the language of the present. For linguists, educators and readers, the latest update records how English evolves in response to cultural, social and technological change.