The year 2022 has been quite eventful on the global platform of gastronomy. From indigenous grains making their way back to our kitchens to adapting to new-normal food norms post-pandemic, we have experienced it all. Then there were bizarre food combinations, viral food recipes and more taking the internet by storm. But what excited us the most are the new food words added to Merriam-Webster's dictionary this year. Merriam-Webster tends to add new words to the dictionary every year. In 2022, they introduced a total of 370 new words, out of which at least nine of them were food-related.
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Here's the list of nine food words in alphabetical order:
- Banh mi
- Birria
- Mojo
- Oat milk
- Omakase
- Plant-based
- Pumpkin spice
- Ras el hanout
- Sessionable
According to Merriam-Webster, the new words added to the dictionary are the ones that made big news or were trending on social media. Precisely, these new words are mirrors of our cultural fascinations, the publication explains.
According to a statement by Merriam-Webster, words offer a window into our ever-changing language and culture. These words are added to the dictionary only "when there is clear and sustained evidence of use".
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In picture: Pumpkin Spice
Photo Credit: iStock
Let's find out the meaning of the nine words that made it to the Merriam-Webster dictionary:
Banh Mi (Noun):
- A usually spicy sandwich in Vietnamese cuisine consisting of a split baguette filled typically with meat (such as pork or chicken) and pickled vegetables (such as carrot and daikon) and garnished with cilantro and often cucumbers
Birria (Noun):
- A Mexican dish of stewed meat seasoned especially with chilli peppers
Mojo (Noun):
- A sauce, marinade, or seasoning that is usually composed primarily of olive oil, garlic, citrus juice, and spices (such as black pepper and cumin)
Oat Milk (Noun):
- A liquid made from ground oats and water that is usually fortified (as with calcium and vitamins) and used as a milk substitute
Omakase (Adverb or Adjective):
- According to the chef's choice
Omakase (Noun):
- A series of small servings or courses (as of sushi) offered at a fixed price and whose selection is left to the chef's discretion
Plant-based (Adjective):
- Made or derived from plants
- Consisting primarily or entirely of food (such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, oils, and beans) derived from plants
Pumpkin spice (Noun):
- A mixture of usually cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and often allspice that is commonly used in pumpkin pie
Ras el hanout (Noun):
- A mixture of ground spices that is used in northern African cooking and includes coriander, ginger, turmeric, peppercorns, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne pepper, and other spices
Sessionable (Adjective):
- Having a light body and a lower-than-average percentage of alcohol