The 2025 edition of the Zingarelli dictionary (an icon in itself, read here to see why) will welcome several new words, many of which reflect the ever-growing influence of English on the Italian language. Next year’s additions to the Italian lexicon range from overtourism to bubble tea, and illustrate how global trends and digital culture are shaping everyday speech. The inclusion of such terms shows both how our language has been evolving and a broader societal shift toward inclusivity and awareness, with words like neurodivergenza (neurodivergence) gaining prominence. According to Zanichelli, the publisher of the Zingarelli dictionary, “there is a greater focus on inclusive terminology to create a more complete awareness of reality, not just in schools but across society.”
What are the other new entries?
Among the other terms making their debut, overtourism stands out. Defined as the overcrowding of tourist destinations due to an excessive influx of visitors, the term reflects a growing global concern about the impact of tourism on both the environment and local communities. Another trendy word is bubble tea, a Taiwanese beverage made from tea, milk, and tapioca pearls, which has gained massive popularity, especially among younger generations. These additions reveal how Italy, like many other countries, is absorbing foreign cultural phenomena and incorporating them into its daily vocabulary.
Other notable words include catfishing (the deceptive practice of creating a fake identity online), gieffino (a contestant from the Italian version of Big Brother), and maranza, a word that was already in use decades ago, but that resurfaced in contemporary slang to describe unruly youths often seen in urban environments, wearing black tracksuits and hoodies.
Italians are embracing of “fake English“
Interestingly, many new words entering the Zingarelli dictionary are English terms or English-inspired hybrids, which often don’t even exist in English. As Financial Times journalist Amy Kazmin points out in an article titled Italians Have Embraced ‘Fake English,’ this linguistic trend has a long history in Italy, dating back to the post-World War II era, when American culture and language began influencing Italian society. Over the years, Italians have adopted and adapted English words, sometimes with meanings that diverge significantly from their original definitions.
Kazmin recalls encountering Italian rock star Adriano Celentano’s 1970s song Prisencolinensinainciusol, a playful attempt to mimic the sound of American English, despite the fact that the lyrics are entirely nonsensical. This humorous song is a good — and vintage! — example of how Italians have long been fascinated by the rhythm and cadence of English, even when they don’t fully understand it. Today, that fascination has evolved into what Kazmin describes as inglese farlocco, or “fake English,” where English words are used exuberantly but often in ways that make little sense to native speakers.
Take, for example, the Italian use of self-bar to describe a vending machine in train stations or Pullman for intercity buses, neither of which actually exist in English: this happens because English words are frequently repurposed in Italian in ways that differ from their original meaning. What really counts, however, is that the use of this Anglo-Italian hybridized lingo, characterized by a blatant misuse of English, has become so widespread that being fluent in it is almost essential for keeping up with everyday conversations in Italy.
Licia Corbolante’s views
Linguist Licia Corbolante, who blogs about this phenomenon, explains that the adoption of English words in Italy conveys a sense of modernity and status. Terms like computer have entered the Italian language with their meanings intact, but others, like stepchild adoption (referring to Italy’s complex legal process for same-sex couples to gain parental rights), have taken on entirely new connotations.
According to Corbolante, many of these words become “empty containers” that Italians fill with meanings that suit their needs. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, terms like smart working (remote work) and lavoro in smart became commonplace, highlighting how English terminology often dominates discussions of technological and social advancements. Even among young people, hybrid words like cringiata (something awkward or creepy) and boomerata (referring to outdated behavior typical of baby boomers) have become part of everyday slang.
While some may see this influx of English as a threat to the Italian language, Corbolante views it as a sign of linguistic dynamism. “Italian is a vital language,” she says. “We take foreign material and adapt it to our needs.”