"English has historically expanded during periods of significant scientific and cultural change," said Steve Johnson, PhD, Director of Lexicography for the Dictionary Media Group at IXL Learning. "This update illustrates how AI innovation, conversations about health, international travel and digital communities are shaping our language in real time."
A quick snapshot
This winter's additions paint a clear picture: English speakers are looking outward for cultural influences, inward at trends shaping digital identity and toward scientific advancement. Some of these words are brand new; others—like infostealer—have existed for years but reached a tipping point in usage. Together, the 2026 Winter Word Drop captures English at this very moment.
Science leaves the lab
As AI continues to dominate public discourse, new roles and terms are emerging to make sense of it.
- Prompt engineering (noun): the process of designing appropriate and effective inputs for a machine learning algorithm.
- Large language model (noun): LLM, a type of machine learning software model trained on extremely large sets of language data, and designed to generate new, naturalistic responses to written or spoken prompts.
- Auto-generated (adjective): produced or created by a computer program.
Meanwhile, biomedical research—and the specialized terminology that accompanies it—is increasingly becoming household language.
- Health span (noun): the typical period of a person's life during which they are consistently in good health.
- Nanoplastic (noun): a tiny particle of plastic, especially one 1,000 nanometers or less, formed from the breakdown of other plastics.
- Biohacker (noun): a person who biohacks or self-improves through strategic experimentation with technology, drugs, hormones, diet, etc.
The internet still has main character energy
Online language remains a powerful engine of change, from gaming terms to internet-era metaphors. What begins in niche forums often ends up in mainstream headlines.
- Copium (noun): a metaphorical substance signifying that someone is engaging in self-delusion to deal with a loss or a difficult realization.
- Glamazon (noun): a woman who is beautiful and glamorous as well as being tall, strong, or powerful.
- 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.
- Black pill (noun): something that makes a person believe there is no hope for resolving a major problem or changing society for the better.
- White pill (noun): something that makes someone hopeful about their personal future or about changing society for the better.
Where English is looking
Global cuisine continues to travel far beyond its origins, enriching everyday vocabulary.
- Furikake (noun): 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.
- Karaage (noun): a Japanese cooking technique in which pieces of chicken, other meats, fish, or seafood are marinated and then dipped in a mixture of flour and potato starch before being deep fried.
- Jjigae (noun): a traditional Korean stew.
- Pasta al forno (noun): an oven-baked Italian pasta dish.
- Smashburger (noun): a hamburger with a patty that is cooked by pressing it very thin onto a hot griddle or cooking surface.
Language moves where people move—and people are moving quickly, online and around the world. Luckily, Dictionary.com is keeping pace, offering a window into how we talk, connect and make sense of the world.
Read more about Dictionary.com's 2026 Winter Word Drop at https://www.dictionary.com/articles/fan-favorite-winter-word-drop-2026.
About Dictionary.com
Dictionary.com is the internet's leading language reference and learning destination: millions of people turn to us each day to better understand words—the very fabric of language, identity and ideas. We are committed to helping people express themselves, make connections and find opportunities through the power and joy of language. From authoritative definitions and grammar guidance to engaging editorial and multimedia experiences, Dictionary.com makes learning intuitive and relevant so you can put your ideas into words, and your words into action.
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IXL Learning
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SOURCE IXL Learning
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