Oxford English Dictionary asks parents for new words

Senior editor Fi Mooring said: "Every parent knows that when you have a child you also begin to speak another language"

Parents have been asked to suggest new parenting terms for the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).

The dictionary's publisher, Oxford University Press, has appealed for ideas from users of the parenting website Mumsnet.

It said it would like to hear about "brand new words and new senses of familiar words".

Suggestions from parents on Mumsnet include "hangry", "defleated", and "whinese".

Fi Mooring, senior editor of the OED, said: "Every parent knows that when you have a child you also begin to speak another language.

"Many of these terms - which quickly become the stuff of everyday communication for millions of parents - are relatively recent coinages, so weren't included in earlier editions of the Oxford English Dictionary."

OED said suggestions from Mumsnet users would be reviewed to assess "how long, how frequently, and how widely a word has been used".

The first new words for the theme of pregnancy, childbirth, parenting, and childcare will be published online in December 2017.

One Mumsnet user suggested "hangry" be added, and defined it as when a child was short-tempered and irrational because they were hungry.

"Defleated" was put forward by another user, who described it as "the feeling of being utterly deflated by your baby's lack of enthusiasm or interest for something you have invested vast amounts of time, money and emotional energy to".

"Whinese" was defined as the "whiny tedious noise (language) used by small children; often several bouts throughout the day for a prolonged period".