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 the pain-management benefits of music, new rules for baby names in Japan, and an unusually speedy Mount Everest hike all contributed words to this list of vocabulary from the week's news.
noun: a warning or caution
From the headlines: Public health experts are urging nutrition app users to keep several caveats in mind: while these tools can scan food labels, show health ratings, and suggest better options, their guidance isn't always reliable. Identical products often receive wildly different scores, and advice can vary between apps. Some also rely on shaky science.
From the headlines: Endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh became the first person to swim all the way around Martha's Vineyard. Pugh swam 60 miles over several days, circumnavigating the island to advocate and raise awareness for sharks. The historic swim happened weeks before the 50th anniversary of Jaws, a movie that was filmed on Martha's Vineyard and famously portrays sharks as villains.
adjective: derived from or guided by direct experience or by experiment, rather than abstract principles or theory
From the headlines: After years of theorizing about the mental and physical benefits of music, scientists have empirical evidence showing that it can help reduce the perception of pain. One study found that patients who heard music after surgery needed half the amount of morphine as those who didn't. In another study, playing Chopin or Mozart for dogs during surgery was proven to deepen their sedation levels.
noun: a narrow cleft with steep, rocky walls, usually with a stream running through it
From the headlines: Scientists have cracked a geological mystery: the deepest river gorge in the U.S. is much younger than anyone thought. Hell's Canyon, which plunges 2,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon, turns out to be just 2.1 million years old, which is less than half the age of its more famous cousin. The gorge has remained largely understudied until now. By examining ancient sediment inside barely accessible caves within the steep gorge, geologists were finally able to reveal its true age.
adjective: pertaining to a characteristic, habit, or mannerism that is peculiar to an individual
From the headlines: Japan is pumping the brakes on a growing trend of parents giving babies quirky names. The government is tightening rules on kirakira, meaning "shiny or "glittery" names. These idiosyncratic monikers are often formed by using unconventional pronunciations of kanji, Chinese-based characters in Japanese writing. This has led to babies being named everything from "Pikachu" to "Kitty" to "Pu," as in "Winnie-the-Pooh."
noun: lineal descent from an ancestor; derivation
From the headlines: Historians are rethinking soccer's lineage after the discovery of a 17th-century football pitch in Scotland. For two centuries, the game's origins have been linked to "mob football," a rough-and-tumble pastime popular in medieval England. But thanks to the discovery of the Scottish field and accompanying evidence -- including a letter from a pastor condemning the Sunday playing of "Foot-Ball" -- Scotland is making a strong case as the true birthplace of modern soccer.
adjective: burdensome, oppressive, or troublesome; causing hardship
From the headlines: An environmental law in Mumbai banning wood-fired bakeries will raise the price of one staple, pav bread, making the cost onerous for most locals. The ban, meant to reduce air pollution, will affect the affordable, fluffy bread, which has a distinctive smoky flavor. Switching to electric ovens will change the taste of pav and is expected to double its price, placing a financial burden on working-class residents.
verb: to express sharp, stern disapproval of; reprove; reprimand
From the headlines: U.S. President Donald Trump rebuked Russian President Vladimir Putin for bombing Ukraine and defying U.S. efforts to broker a ceasefire deal. The unusually sharp criticism followed a barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks on May 25 in what the Ukrainian Air Force described as the largest air attack of the war. Trump said he would consider sanctions on Russia, and that he is "not happy" with Putin's actions.
adjective: having regard to utility or usefulness rather than beauty, ornamentation, etc.
From the headlines: In the U.S. Pacific Northwest, used Japanese firetrucks are both trendy and utilitarian, especially for small-scale farming and deliveries. In Seattle, owners of the bright-red Kei trucks include a dahlia farmer who uses hers to haul buckets, tools, and other supplies. Kei trucks have tiny cabs and big beds, making them easy to carry items and park.
noun: Chemistry. a heavy, colorless, chemically inactive, monatomic gaseous element used for filling radio, television, and luminescent tubes
From the headlines: Four British hikers completed a round-trip journey from London to the summit of Mount Everest in under a week, a feat that typically takes weeks of grueling acclimatization. Their secret weapon? Xenon. With guidance from an anesthesiologist, the climbers spent two weeks inhaling controlled doses of the colorless gas before their ascent. Xenon helps the body adjust to high altitudes more quickly, but its use in the climbing world is controversial.