Newly coined Spanish words in 2020

Each year the RAE (the Real Academia Española) presents the new terms that will form part of the Diccionario de la Lengua Española  (Spanish Language Dictionary, DRAE ). This year many words are vocabulary related to the pandemic, but also come from the worlds of social media, politics, or cooking. Let’s learn about some of them.

Animalismo (Animalism). Movement that advocates for the defense of animal rights.

Avatar. Icon or figure representing a user in a digital environment.

Coronavirus. A virus that causes various respiratory diseases, from the common cold to pneumonia or COVID.

COVID. Acute respiratory syndrome caused by a coronavirus. It is pronounced with stress on the last syllable, although in English the stress is on the penultimate syllable. It can also be written “covid,” with lowercase letters, as its use is very widespread.

Derechoso. In politics, holding positions close to the right.

Emoji/emoticono (emoji/emoticon). On social media, a drawing or symbol that expresses an emotion or idea.

Faláfel. Typical dish from Arabic cuisine.

Finde. Accepted usage for weekend (fin de semana).

Gastrobar. Bar or restaurant offering fine dining in the form of tapas and main courses.

Keynesianismo (Keynesianism). Economic doctrine favorable to intervention in the public sector to promote economic development.

Microcrédito (Microcredit). Low-interest credits, usually for small amounts, generally aimed at alleviating poverty.

Nacho. Triangular piece of corn tortilla typical in Mexican cuisine.

Parafascista (Para-fascist). Having similarities with fascism or something/someone that is fascist.

Partidocracia (Particracy). Political situation in which there is an abuse of party power.

Tirolina (Zipline). Recreational activity that consists of sliding across a pulley suspended on a cable, which is mounted at a height between two points.

Trol (from the verb trolear; Troll). In Internet forums and on social media, a user who posts provocative, offensive, or out of place messages in order to annoy, draw attention, or boycott the conversation.

Vigorexia. Pathological obsession with building muscle.

All these “new” words pass a strict procedure before being added to the dictionary. First, a new word must be suggested. It is not necessary to be an academic to propose an entry, any citizen can do so. Next, the professionals at the RAE verify that this word is used in the Spanish-speaking world. Then, after passing through the 23 Spanish Language Academies in the world, finally, the word enters the dictionary.

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