Meaning & use
neologism
Last updated
A word or phrase that has been newly coined and is not yet in wide, established use.
See it in a sentence
Selfie started as a neologism before dictionaries added it a few years later.
Linguists track neologisms that spread online to see which ones eventually stick.
A note on using this word
A neologism can be an entirely new word, a new meaning for an old word, or a new combination of existing parts.
Words with a similar meaning
coinage
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
archaism
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “neologism”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.