Words we love – gigil (cute aggression)

You know that moment when a tiny, fluffy Labrador puppy runs over to you, and you make that weird squeal noise and have the irresistible urge to squeeze its cheeks? Well, there’s now a word for it: gigil.

Pronounced “ghee-ghil,” gigil was added to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) this month. It’s a Filipino word that perfectly describes that heart-melting urge to express affection for something adorable.

Gigil is part of a very special group of words that can’t be directly translated into English – words which come from other languages and capture emotions or experiences that we might not have specific terms for in English.

Think the French “déjà vu,” the Swedish “fika,” and the Finnish “sisu,” which all describe concepts that don't have an exact equivalent in English.

Although gigil is a new addition to the OED, it has been used by English speakers since the early 1990s. The word’s origins trace back to the Tagalog people, who are native to the Philippines. Over time, it’s made its way into everyday conversations in English, especially when talking about those moments when something or someone is so adorable that you can’t help but react in an almost uncontrollable way.

The Oxford English Dictionary now contains over 600,000 words from various languages, and gigil is a great example of how words from around the world can help us express emotions and experiences in ways we never knew we needed. So next time you’re overcome with the urge to squeeze a cute puppy, just say you’re feeling a little gigil – it’s the perfect word for that adorable moment!