From "zombie drug" to "unplayable," Treccani photographs Italian words born in 2025
The world of politics and international news leaves a clear mark among neologisms
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2025 is told through words . This is the underlying theme of the Treccani Book of the Year 2025, recently published by the Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia, which collects the year's most significant neologisms, from politics to current affairs, from technology to economics, and even social events.
Among the new entries, terms are emerging that already promise to enter common parlance : from “zombie drug,” the journalistic name for the powerful opioid fentanyl, to “affidopoli,” a scandal linked to alleged illicit foster care, through to lighter and more popular expressions such as “la qualunque,” a tribute to Antonio Albanese’s Cetto La Qualunque, and “occhi spaccanti,” the registered trademark to describe an intense gaze.
The world of politics and international news leaves a clear mark : “pro-Pal” indicates those who support the Palestinian cause, while words like “Brandmauer” and “sumud” reflect global tensions and resistance.
There is no shortage of technological and digital neologisms, such as “artificial intelligence hallucination” to indicate false information generated by AI systems, or “nudification,” the illegal creation of fake digital nudes.
Economics also enters the scene with terms that describe financial conflicts and digital scandals : from “economic bullying” to “cryptogate”, a scandal linked to cryptocurrencies.
Among the curiosities, the tribute to the athlete Jannik Sinner stands out with “unplayable”, a word that celebrates his unbeaten run on the tennis court.
According to the Treccani Italian Language Observatory, these words aren't just linguistic symbols, but true social and cultural indicators: "They capture events of 2025 and won't always find their way into future editions of dictionaries," the linguists explain.
The book, now in its twenty-sixth edition, recounts a complex year, marked by geopolitical tensions, economic crises and cultural turning points .
Among the key events are Donald Trump's return to the White House, the election of Pope Leo XIV, the third year of the Meloni government, and Europe's role in redefining global balances. With over 600 pages, 1,169 in-depth articles, and hundreds of images and graphics, the Treccani Book of the Year 2025 offers a comprehensive snapshot of a world in transformation, where every word tells a piece of history.
(Unioneonline/Fr.Me.)
