Amala, Nyash, Biko, Other Nigerian Words Added To Oxford Dictionary [Full List]

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has added a number of Nigerian words to its latest update, including popular terms like “nyash,” “amala,” ‘biko,” and “mammy market.”

Released on the OED website in December 2025, the update introduced over 500 new words, phrases, and tenses, highlighting the growing influence of Nigerian language, culture, and cuisine worldwide.

Other Nigerian words now included in the dictionary are “moi moi,” “abeg,” “biko,” and “Ghana Must Go.” Internet slang like “DM,” “brainfart,” and “chug” were also added.

Additionally, over 1,000 existing entries were updated, and the histories of words such as “troll,” “coffee,” and “snooker” were explored.

The update reflects English as it is used around the world, including West African, Maltese, Japanese, and South Korean English, showing the increasing global reach of these varieties.

Some definitions of the Nigerian words include:

• Abeg – an interjection expressing surprise, exasperation, or disbelief.
• Biko – from Igbo, used as a polite adverb or interjection meaning “please” or adding urgency.
• Nyash – referring to a person’s (especially a woman’s) buttocks.
• Ghana Must Go – the large, checkered plastic bag commonly used in West Africa, named after the 1983 expulsion of undocumented Ghanaian migrants from Nigeria.
• Mammy Market – a market usually run by women, originally in military barracks and later in youth service camps and schools.
• Amala – a staple Nigerian food made from yam, cassava, or plantain flour, typically shaped into a ball and served with other dishes.
• Moi Moi – a Yoruba dish made from blended beans mixed with peppers, onions, and dried ingredients.
• Afrobeats – a style of popular music combining West African rhythms with jazz, soul, and funk.

Other notable Nigerian additions include abrokyire, Adowa, ampesi, benachin, bichir, domoda, dumboy, hiplife, kpanlogo, light soup, nawetan, obroni, poda-poda, and yassa.

The update demonstrates how Nigerian language, food, and music are increasingly recognized and recorded in global English dictionaries.

KanyiDaily recalls that in January 2025, the Oxford English Dictionary expanded its lexicon with 20 Nigerian words and expressions, highlighting the influence of Nigerian English, Pidgin, and street slang on global vocabulary.