23 Asian English words have just been added to the Oxford English Dictionary

Asian English just scored a major win – 23 words from across Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines have officially entered the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). From everyday slang to iconic food terms, these additions celebrate the way millions speak across Asia. 

Some of the standout additions include familiar favourites from Singaporean and Malaysian English. There’s “alamak”, now officially defined as “expressing surprise, shock, dismay, or outrage.” You’ll also find “taupau” – “to take (food or drink) from a restaurant or shop where it has been prepared, for consumption off the premises.” And of course, “nasi lemak” made the cut: “a Malay dish of rice cooked in coconut milk and flavoured with pandan leaf, served with various garnishes (such as cucumber slices, fried fish, roasted peanuts, cooked egg, and sambal) and usually eaten for breakfast.”

Over in Philippine English, everyday words are getting their spotlight too. There’s “CR”, defined as short for comfort room, and now officially recognised as a term for toilet. “Salakot” also made the list, defined as “a type of lightweight Filipino hat traditionally worn by farmers as protection against the weather, typically domed or conical in shape, with a wide brim, and often having a spiked or ornamental finial at the tip of the crown.” The term “kababayan” – meaning “a fellow Filipino” or someone from the same region or hometown, also made the list. 

Here are the newly added Asian English words in the Oxford English Dictionary as of March 2025:

Malaysian English and Singapore English:

1. alamak (interjection) 
2. fish head curry (noun)
3. half-boiled egg (noun) 
4. kaya, (noun) 
5. kaya toast (noun) 
6. ketupat (noun) 
7. mat rempit (noun) 
8. nasi lemak (noun) 
9. otak-otak (noun) 
10. steamboat (noun) 
11. tapau (verb) 
12. terror (adjective) 

Philippine English: 

1. CR (noun)  
2. gigil (noun and adjective) 
3. kababayan (noun) 
4. load (noun) 
5. lumpia (noun) 
6. Pinoy (adjective) 
7. salakot (noun) 
8. sando (noun) 
9. terror (adjective) 
10. Thomasite (noun) 
11. videoke (noun)

Check out the full list of words here.

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