The Coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we travel, work, study, and enjoy entertainment. Is it any surprise that it has also changed the way we speak? With COVID-19, the world has shared a collective experience, and technology has kept us connected during these isolating times. Through this all, new English slang has emerged. How many of these words do you know?  

English Slang Related to the Coronavirus 

Blursday 

Definition: An unspecified day; the loss of the ability to track one’s week because of the lockdown’s effect on time.

For many people, the pandemic has created a long period of time without their daily work and school schedule. Without a schedule, it has become hard to remember which day it is. “What day is it?” has been a common question, and people have described their week as a “blur.” (A “blur” is something confusing or not clear.) 

The word “blursday” was born from this confusion. Blursday is a combination of the word “blur” and a day of the week. It is funny because it rhymes with Thursday.  

Covexit

Definition: The process of gradually relaxing and removing the restrictions on public life imposed by governments in response to the Coronavirus crisis.

Covexit is a combination of the words “Covid’ and “exit.” 

Covideo party 

Definition: A social event held using video conferencing. 

Covideo is a combination of the words “Covid” and “video.” It is used to talk about the social videoconferencing events you had during the time of Covid. 

Covidiot 

Definition: A person who does not follow socially acceptable guidelines for stopping the spread of the Coronavirus. 

Another combination word, covidiot is the joining of the words “Covid” and “idiot.” Many people have used this to criticize people who try to break government policies regarding Covid, such as respecting social distance and sanitizing one’s hands when in public.

Quaranteam

Definition: The people you work or socialize with during quarantine. 

Quaranteam combines the words “quarantine” and “team.” It is a word to describe those who support you during a quarantine period. Many people have used this word to describe their work friends or department; others have used it to describe their family and/or those with whom they have been isolating. 

(The) ‘Rona

Definition: An abbreviation for “Coronavirus.” 

With such a terrible and scary pandemic, people had to find light in a dark situation. The word ‘rona was born from this. “Is that you, rona?” and other memes circulated to try and joke about how scary it truly was to feel a sore throat, a cough, or a fever during the peak of the pandemic. 

WFH

Definition: An acronym for “work from home.”

The phrase “work from home” became the description of a new way of life for many people. The acronym and hashtag WFH became popular simply because the original phrase is too long to type or text!

Zoombombing

Definition: When a person enters a Zoom meeting that he or she is not invited to.

Zoombombing is a combination of the words “Zoom” and “bombing.” It is similar to the slang word “photobomb.”

In English, a “photobomb” is when someone places themselves in a photo of other people. The other people in the photo do not know that this is happening, so they are surprised when they see the photo with an extra person in the image. Usually, this person is making a silly face or gesture. 

During the height of the pandemic, some people found it funny to enter Zoom rooms they were not invited to. This became known as Zoombombing: the modern-day equivalent of the photobomb. 

Do you need some tips for studying from home during the pandemic? Check out our article How to Create a Productive Workspace.