Oxford English Dictionary (OED) officially added the Filipino word “gigil” to its lexicon update and Filipinos took to social media to share their reactions.
In its March 2025 update, the historical English dictionary said it listed the word from the Philippines, noting that it “regularly” appears on “lists of untranslatable words.”
“Gigil is a feeling we get when we see someone or something cute, a feeling so intense that it gives us the irresistible urge to tightly clench our hands, grit our teeth, and pinch or squeeze whomever or whatever it is we find so adorable, whether it be a chubby-cheeked baby or a fluffy little kitten,” it said in a commentary.
“Gigil is a pithy name for such a strange, paradoxical emotion, and apart from its use as a noun, it can also be employed as an adjective to describe the person experiencing it,” OED added.
“So, if a Filipino says they’re gigil, they’re just dealing with overwhelming feelings (usually positive),” it continued.
OED also said that “gigil” was also used in Philippine English “dating back to 1990” according to their evidence.
“Wouldn’t it be useful for English speakers to have a specific word for sunlight dappling through leaves, just like speakers of Japanese do? Or a particular word for the action of sitting outside enjoying a beer, like the one Norwegians have?” its commentary said.
The addition of a new word from the Philippines sparked various reactions from Filipinos, who shared their views about it on social media.
Pulmonologist Jai Cabajar said that the word is “so versatile” because it can either mean something related to love or affection, or anger.
Gigil is so versatile because it can mean 🥰🥺😍 but also 🤬😡😤 https://t.co/0vyZzAY09E
— Jai Cabajar (@jaicabajar) March 27, 2025
Others tried using the word in English sentences following its inclusion in the OED.
“I can’t believe the sentence ‘I feel so gigil right now’ is fully in English now. Sounds so conyo,” an online user wrote with grinning-with-sweat emojis.
“How do you translate ‘Nanggigigil ako sa’yo?'” another Pinoy commented.
“I’m feeling gigil towards you? I’m gigiling with you? You’re making me feel gigil?” the user added with a loudly crying emoji.
Another online user admitted that they usually use the word in a negative context.
“I never use this for cuteness, but I sure use this to express overwhelming frustration,” the X user said.
“i.e ‘Gigil ako sa katangahan ng mga *redacted*,” the online user added.
Other words from the Philippines that were added to OED’s latest update are “salakot,” “kababayan,” “Lumpia,” “videoke,” “sando,” “load,” “CR,” “Thomasite,” and “terror,” in the context of a teacher “who is strict, harsh, or demanding.”
The OED describes itself as an unsurpassed guide for researchers in any discipline to the meaning, history, and usage of over 500,000 words and phrases.
