Each week, we scan the latest headlines to spot words in action. From major news stories to pop culture buzz, this list highlights language as it’s unfolding. Stories about sustainable cities, music therapy, and toys from China all contributed words to this list of vocabulary from the week’s news.
adobe
noun: sun-dried brick made of clay and straw, in common use in countries having little rainfall
From the headlines: Recent California wildfires have brought new attention to a modern form of听补诲辞产别听that’s used to construct fire-resistant homes. The updated earthen structures are built from soil-filled sandbags reinforced with wire and coated with plaster. This “super adobe” has proven extremely durable during fires.
Fun fact: Adobe听is derived from an ancient Egyptian root that means “mud brick,” and it’s used for various building materials made from earth.
bellwether
noun: a person or thing that shows the existence or direction of a trend; index
From the headlines: The Louvre, which many say is a听bellwether听of overtourism, was unexpectedly closed for several hours on June 16. The closure was due to a spontaneous strike by staff, who say overwhelming mass tourism has harmed working conditions and infrastructure at the world-famous Paris museum. The walkout highlighted the growing problem of overcrowding at European tourist attractions.
Fun fact: A wether听is a male sheep, and bellwether听originally described the sheep at the front of a flock.
cohesion
noun: the act or state of听cohering, uniting, or sticking together
From the headlines: Researchers found that communities with strong social cohesion tend to be more resilient in the face of climate emergencies. When neighbors are connected, share resources, and support one another, their response to events like floods is quicker and more effective. Purpose-built “ecocommunities” are especially successful at bouncing back.
covert
adjective: concealed or disguised;听secret
From the headlines: Britain’s overseas听covert听spy agency has named its first female chief. Blaise Metreweli, now codenamed “C,” was promoted from her role as head of technology to be the leader of MI6. The agency handles clandestine operations in foreign countries, and C is its only publicly named role 鈥� every other agent who works there is undercover.
fad
noun: a temporary fashion, notion, manner of conduct, etc., especially one followed enthusiastically by a group
From the headlines: An odd-looking, furry toy from China has become an unexpected worldwide听fad. Labubu dolls have rabbit ears and a sharp-fanged smile, and they come in various colors and styles. A craze for collecting the toys, described by their maker as “well-intentioned elves,” has led to new Labubus selling out online just minutes after their release.
miasma
noun: noxious exhalations from putrescent organic matter; poisonous effluvia or germs polluting the atmosphere
From the headlines: Some public health experts have suggested that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s focus on the听miasma听theory of disease may inform many aspects of his policies. This ancient idea, which preceded germ theory, was based on the belief that illness was caused by bad or polluted air. Kennedy鈥檚 modern-day interpretation emphasizes reducing disease by avoiding what he considers “foul air” caused by stress, pesticides, and electromagnetic radiation and boosting the immune system through nutrition.
sanguine
adjective: cheerfully optimistic
From the headlines: Recent research shows that music therapy can help cancer patients feel more sanguine during treatment. One study found that creating and performing music lifted spirits just as much as cognitive behavioral therapy. Kevin Liou, the study’s author, noted that having a wide range of therapeutic options can better personalize treatment plans.
summit
noun: the highest level of diplomatic or other governmental officials
From the headlines: At the Group of Seven summit in Kananaskis, Canada, leaders were focused on the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Heads of state from seven major industrialized nations meet annually to address international challenges and opportunities. This year’s gathering revealed subtle discord over Middle East strategy and concluded without a scheduled meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
urbanization
noun: the act or fact of听urbanizing, or taking on the characteristics of a city
From the headlines: A recent study suggests that bedbugs are the earliest pests linked to city life, with their numbers rising in tandem with human urbanization. Scientists now believe that these parasites originally fed on Neanderthals over 300,000 years ago, then declined听 when humans adopted a nomadic lifestyle. But as people began forming dense, settled communities, bedbug populations surged, and they remain a scourge in urban areas to this day.
