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Jan 12, 2026
This week’s themeNew words This week’s words 
The Luncheon on the Grass, 1863
Art: Édouard Manet Previous week’s theme Words that look like misspelling 
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu GargA couple of weeks ago we featured “new” words, but this time we’ll feature new words. As in, new new. In the word business, new is relative. When a typical word is hundreds or even thousands of years old, a few decades counts as fresh off the presses. That’s because it takes time for a word to establish itself and demonstrate staying power before it’s canonized and entered into dictionaries. Until then it has to bide its time in places like the Urban Dictionary. This week’s words may appear newish or slangy, but all are in at least one general-purpose English language dictionary. If that feels too modern and you’re craving counterbalance, you can always visit a week of archaic words from our archives, here and here. touch grass
PRONUNCIATION:
(tuhch GRAS)
MEANING:
verb tr.: To spend time in the real world, especially as a corrective to excessive online activity.
ETYMOLOGY:
Originally a derogatory remark implying someone is delusional or out of
touch due to internet addiction; later adopted as a mantra for digital
well-being. Earliest documented use: 2016.
NOTES:
Spending time in the real world instead of the virtual one, who
could be against it? There’s even a smartphone app for it
because one apparently needs an app to stop using apps. What’s next,
holding AA meetings in a pub?
USAGE:
“Utah Gov. Spencer Cox urged Americans to ‘log off, turn off, touch
grass. Hug a family member.’” How to Stay Informed Without Being Consumed; Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania); Nov 13, 2025. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
People's memories are maybe the fuel they burn to stay alive. -Haruki
Murakami, writer (b. 12 Jan 1949)
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