Oxford English Dictionary Adds Everyday Expressions and Food Items from Singapore and Malaysia

Everyday Expressions and Food Items Added to Oxford English Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added several everyday expressions used in Singapore and Malaysia in its March 2025 quarterly update. These additions highlight the richness and diversity of English used in different parts of the world.

Among the added words is "alamak," an interjection expressing surprise, shock, dismay, or outrage. Other additions include "kaya," a jam made from coconut milk, eggs, and sugar, usually flavored with pandan leaf, and "kaya toast," a sandwich consisting of two slices of toasted bread spread with butter and kaya.

The OED also added several popular food items familiar in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. These include "ketupat," a small rice cake boiled in a pouch of woven palm leaves; "nasi lemak," a Malay dish of rice cooked in coconut milk and flavored with pandan leaf, served with various garnishes; and "otak-otak," a Southeast Asian dish consisting of ground fish or other seafood mixed with spices and coconut milk, wrapped in banana or palm leaves, and cooked by steaming or grilling.

Other additions include "fish head curry," a dish influenced by Chinese and South Indian cuisine, consisting of a large fish head cooked in a tangy tamarind-based curry gravy; "half-boiled egg," an egg cooked briefly in freshly boiled water with a runny yolk and white; and "tapau," to take food or drink from a restaurant or shop for consumption off the premises.

The inclusion of these words reflects the growing recognition of the diversity of English and the importance of capturing the unique expressions and vocabulary used in different regions.