'Oat Milk', 'Plant-Based' : Merriam-Webster Adds 9 New Food Words To Dictionary

 December 29th, 2022

The year 2022 has seen a lot of activity on the international gastronomic stage. We have gone through it all, from reintroducing native grains to our diets to adjusting to post-pandemic food patterns as the new normal. Then came strange food pairings, popular culinary recipes, and more that went viral online. The new food terms that Merriam-dictionary Webster's included this year, however, really got us psyched. Every year, Merriam-Webster tends to expand its lexicon. And some of them have a special vegan connection!

Overall, they added 370 new words in all in 2022, at least nine of which had a food-related meaning. Have a look-

1. Banh mi
2. Birria
3. Mojo
4. Oat milk
5. Omakase
6. Plant-based
7. Pumpkin spice
8. Ras el hanout
9. Sessionable

Merriam-Webster claims that words that were widely reported on or that were popular on social media were those that were included to the dictionary. According to the journal, these new terms are exact mirrors of our cultural fascinations.

Decode the meaning of these new additions:

Words provide a window into our ever-evolving language and culture, claims Merriam-Webster. Only "where there is clear and persistent evidence of use" are these words added to the dictionary. The nine words that were added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary are as follows:

Banh Mi (Noun): Vietnamese food consists of a split baguette stuffed with meat (usually pig or chicken) and pickled vegetables (mainly carrot and daikon), usually garnished with cilantro and frequently cucumbers.

Birria (Noun): A Mexican delicacy of cooked beef with chilli peppers specifically.

Mojo (Noun): A sauce, marinade, or seasoning that typically includes olive oil, garlic, citrus juice, and spices as its main ingredients (such as black pepper and cumin).

Image Source: Food & Wine

Oat Milk (Noun): A milk substitute that is typically enriched (with vitamins and calcium) and made with ground oats and water.

Omakase (Adverb or Adjective): Based on the chef's selection

Omakase (Noun): A set of dishes or courses (like as sushi) that are priced fixedly and whose selection is made based on the chef's liking.

Image Source: Unlock Food

Plant-based (Adjective): Curated or derived from plants. Including solely or mostly of plant-based foods (such fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and beans)

Pumpkin spice (Noun): A mixture that is frequently used in pumpkin pie and typically includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice.

Ras el hanout (Noun): In northern African cooking, ras el hanout is a blend of ground spices that comprises coriander, ginger, turmeric, peppercorns, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and other spices.

Sessionable (Adjective): Having a light body and a lower alcohol content than normal.

Merriam-Webster claims that words that were widely reported on or that were popular on social media were those that were included to the dictionary.