Dinguerie, débunker, deepfake… 150 words added to French dictionary, Le Petit Robert

150 new words have been added to the latest edition of French dictionary Le Petit Robert, covering themes such as technology, sports and science. 

Le Petit Robert 2026, on sale since Thursday (May 15), boasts 60,000 words, 300,000 definitions, 35,000 quotations, and 75,000 etymologies. An illustrated version is also available. 

The first edition of this dictionary was published in 1967, and considers three major criteria to gauge whether a word is ‘established’ in the French language: 

• Frequency of use - assessed by statistical textual analysis,

• Diffusion - often used by the press, in literature and/or on social media,

• Endurance - observed over several years to decide whether a word is consistently used, or if it is important for understanding a moment in time. 

Read also: What are the longest words in the French language?

Following our overview of the latest entries to the Larousse dictionary, The Connexion now looks at some of the new words and definitions featured in Le Petit Robert. 

New words include…

Society 

• DÉMISSION SILENCIEUSE (quiet quitting) - When an employee invests as little as possible in their work because they are demotivated.

• CHEMSEX (borrowed from English but also referred to as sexualité sous drogues (SSD)) - Use of drugs during sexual intercourse to feel less inhibited and to prolong or enhance pleasure.

• DEUIL BLANC (white mourning) - Coping with the symptoms of a neurodegenerative disease in a loved one who is still alive.

Technology 

• DÉBUNKER (from the English: to debunk) - To demonstrate the falsity of a piece of information or theory.

• NÉOBANQUE (digital bank) - A bank that is only available online.

• HYPERTRUCAGE (from hyper and trucage (doctoring)), or DEEPFAKE - Audiovisual manipulation powered by artificial intelligence, enabling the creation of realistic fake images, videos or audios. 

The rise of artificial intelligence is further reflected in the choice of words, with PROMPTER (the act of giving a prompt or asking a question to a generative AI) and HALLUCINATION (a false answer produced by a generative AI, appearing to be true).

Other internet terms borrowed from English include TIKTOKEUR(SE) (a person who creates and posts content on TikTok), STALKER (the act of spying on someone's actions online) and VOCAL (a voice note). 

Science

• MPOX (abbreviation of: monkeypox) - An infectious and contagious viral disease originally discovered in monkeys.

• BIOMEDICAMENT (Biomedicine) - A medication in which the active substance is produced from a biological source (e.g. proteins, cells) using a biotechnological process (e.g. hormones, vaccines).

• PÉRIMÉNOPAUSE (Pre/postmenopausal) - The period preceding and following the menopause, characterised by irregular cycles and a number of symptoms (irritability, hot flushes, sleep issues).

Environment

• SURCYCLAGE (Upcycling) - Reusing used materials or objects to make new products of greater value.

• MIELLERIE (From miel (honey)) - Place where honey is processed (extraction, filtration, packaging, etc.).

• GÉO-INGÉNIERIE - Techniques used to artificially modify the Earth's climate (e.g. carbon capture, cloud seeding).

Sport

VÉLORUE (Bikelane) - A route specially designed to help/encourage cyclists to travel in built-up areas.

La VAR (or: assistance vidéo à l’arbitrage) - Technology used in sporting events to test a referee’s decision.

RIDEUR - A person who practises an extreme sport (mountain biking, snowboard, surf, etc.). The pronunciation is similar to the English pronunciation of ‘to ride’. 

The 2024 Paris Olympics has influenced the addition of words such as: TAEKWONDOÏSTE (person who does taekwondo), TRAMPOLINISTE (person who does trampolining) and TREIZISTE (person who plays 13-a-side rugby). 

Slang

CAPTER - To meet, join or get hold of someone. 

PISTER (from une piste (a lead/trail)) - To understand. 

DINGUERIE (from dingue (crazy)) - Insane and unbelievable behavior or a mad action/situation. 

Read also: Learning French: the origins and meaning of dingue

The expression C’EST CARRÉ (literally: it is squared) also makes an appearance, meaning: okay, very well, or perfect. A popular expression with younger generations is: C’est carré comme en Corée (literally: it works well like in [North] Korea). 

Francophonie

BALADO (from Quebec) - A podcast

CARAC (from Switzerland) - Small tarts are filled with chocolate and covered in green icing.

TCHIP (from the French West Indies and Africa) - The act of making a sucking noise as a sign of disapproval or contempt.

TARPIN, GÂTÉ and TANQUER, three terms from in and around Marseille in the south-east of France, are also included.

Read also: Wokisme, vegan: The ‘new’ words added to French dictionary