The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added nearly 500 new words, phrases, and meanings to its lexicon, with several originating from West Africa, highlighting the growing global impact of African languages on English.
The latest update also includes revisions to more than 1,000 existing entries, as editors explored the history and evolving usage of words ranging from “troll” and “snooker” to various coffee-related terms.
The additions span English as spoken worldwide, featuring entries from West African, Maltese, Japanese and South Korean English. The move underscores the increasingly international character of the English language.
West African expressions have gained recognition beyond the region, with Ghanaian and Nigerian terms such as “Abrokyire”, “nyash”, “abeg”, “GhanaMust Go”, “adowa” and “obroni” entering broader English usage. The list also reflects everyday language linked to food, music, markets, pop culture and daily life, showing how local languages continue to shape modern English.
Catherine Sangster, head of pronunciation at the OED, said the update marks a significant step in how pronunciations are recorded across different varieties of English.
“With this update, we introduce a new model for the transcription of Maltese English pronunciations; this is the 19th World English pronunciation model in our collection,” she said.
Sangster also said that the update coincides with a decade since spoken pronunciations were first introduced in the OED in December 2015.
The dictionary’s latest revisions demonstrate not only shifts in vocabulary but also the dynamic ways English is spoken globally, with African languages playing an increasingly prominent role in shaping the lexicon.
Read the full list below:
https://www.oed.com/information/updates/december-2025/new-word-entries/
Asaase Broadcasting Company airs on Asaase 99.5 Accra, Asaase 98.5 Kumasi, Asaase 99.7 Tamale, Asaase 100.3 Cape Coast, AsaasePa 107.3 (Accra).
Affiliates: Bawku FM 101.5, Bead FM 99.9 (Bimbilla), Mining City Radio 89.5 (Tarkwa), Nandom FM 101.9, Nyatefe Radio 94.5 (Dzodze), Sissala Radio 96.3 (Tumu), Somuaa FM 89.9 (Gushegu), Stone City 90.7 (Ho) and Wale FM 106.9 (Walewale).
Listen online: atlanticafricanews.com/, Sound Garden and TuneIn.
Follow us:
X: @asaaseradio995, @Asaase985ksi, @Asaase997tamale, @asaase1003, asaasepa1073
Instagram: asaaseradio99.5, asaase985ksi, asaase100.3, asaase99.7tamale, asaasepa107.3
LinkedIn: company/asaaseradio995. TikTok: @asaaseradio99.5
Facebook: asaase99.5, asaase985ksi, Asaase100.3, asaase99.7, AsaasePa107.3.
YouTube: AsaaseRadioXtra.
Join the conversation. Accra: call 020 000 9951/054 888 8995, WhatsApp 020 000 0995. Kumasi: call 059 415 7985 or call/WhatsApp 020 631 5260. Tamale: call/WhatsApp/SMS 053 554 6468. Cape Coast: call/WhatsApp 059 388 2652.
#AsaaseRadio
#AsaasePa
#TheVoiceofOurLand
