The Oxford English Dictionary adds eleven new words from the Philippines

Genesis Labana

Looking for a word to describe the intense feeling when you see particularly a chubby cheeked baby or fluffy haired dog or cat, the irresistible urge to pinch their cheeks or squeeze them tightly? Filipinos have a perfect word for that: Gigil (pronounced ghee-ghil). This Tagalog word is now included in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), according to their website post, as part of its March 2025 update.

First used in Philippine English in the 1990s, gigil is a pithy name that perfectly captures the paradoxical emotion. It is a feeling so intense that it can manifest physically through clenched hands, gritted teeth, or even trembling. Besides its use as a noun, it can also be an adjective to describe the person experiencing it. Gigil is just one of the eleven new words from the Philippines added to the prestigious Oxford English Dictionary in its quarterly update.

According to Danica Salazar, Executive Director of the OED, these words are so-called “untranslatable words” that had been lexicalized in one language but do not have a direct English equivalent.  

The March 2025 update includes eight Philippine English words added as new entries, while three existing English words gained new definitions specific to their use in the Philippines. Let’s explore these new additions:

CR: (noun, /ˌsiˈɑr/) This is a common abbreviation in the Philippines for “toilet” or “lavatory,” a shortened form of “comfort room.”

Kababayan: (noun, /ˌkɑbɑˈbɑjɑn/) This word has two meanings. Firstly, it refers to a “fellow Filipino” or someone from the same Philippine region or town as another. Secondly, it describes a “small, sweet cake, similar to a muffin, typically yellow in colour and having the shape of a salakot”. The word itself combines the Tagalog prefix ka- (expressing companionship) with -babayan (related to bayan, meaning ‘town’ or ‘country’).

Lumpia: (noun, /ˈlumˌpiɑ/) This term, borrowed from Tagalog, Malay, Indonesian, and possibly even Dutch, refers to “any of various types of spring roll, typically consisting of a very thin pancake filled with minced meat, seafood, or vegetables, rolled into a cylinder (and sometimes deep-fried), and served with a dipping sauce”. Its origins can be traced back to the Hokkien word lūn-pián.

Salakot: (noun, /ˌsɑlɑˈkot/) This “type of lightweight Filipino hat traditionally worn by farmers as protection against the weather” is typically domed or conical with a wide brim and often has a spiked or ornamental finial. It has become an important symbol of Filipino culture and is also worn during festivals.

Sando: (noun, /ˈsɑndo/) This is a simple “sleeveless garment worn under or instead of a shirt; a vest”.

Thomasite: (noun, /ˈtɑˌmɑˌsɑɪt/) This noun refers to “an American teacher in the Philippines during the period of American occupation (1899–1946); esp. one belonging to the first group of teachers who arrived on the U.S. Army Transport Thomas in 1901”. These teachers were instrumental in establishing a new public school system using English as the primary language of instruction.

Videoke: (noun, /ˌviˌdiˈoˌkeɪ/) A popular form of entertainment in the Philippines, “videoke” is similar to karaoke, where individuals sing along to pre-recorded backing tracks with lyrics displayed on a screen. It also refers to the equipment used for this activity and is frequently used as a modifier, such as in “videoke bar”.

Beyond these new entries, three existing English words have acquired new meanings within the context of Philippine English.

Load: (noun, /lod/) This now also refers to “credit purchased for a pay-as-you-go mobile phone”.

Terror: (adjective, /ˈtɛˌror/) In Philippine English, this word can describe a teacher who is “strict, harsh, demanding”.

Pinoy: (adjective, /ˌpiˈnoɪ/) While already recognized as a noun referring to a Filipino person, Pinoy has now also been added as an adjective, meaning “Of, belonging to, or relating to the Philippines or Filipinos”

Aside from the 11 Filipino words, 31 others are lexicalized originating from Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Africa, with a total of 42 new words into the Oxford English Dictionary. They are now part of more than 600,000 words in the robust dictionary.

The OED, which began in 1857 and published by Oxford University Press, is more than just a dictionary of current English. It also documents the evolution of the language, tracing the origins and usage of words over time.