Oxford Dictionary Adds ‘Mammy Market’, ‘Amala’, Other Nigerian Words To Glossary

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has updated its glossary with several Nigerian-originated words, including “mammy market,” “nyash,” and “amala.”

The December 2025 update, released on the OED website, features more than 500 new words, phrases, and tenses, reflecting the growing global influence of Nigeria’s language, culture, and cuisine.

Other Nigerian words added include “moi moi,” “abeg,” “biko,” and “Ghana Must Go.” Internet slang such as “DM,” “brainfart,” and “chug” were also included. In addition, more than 1,000 existing entries were revised, while editors explored the histories of words like “troll,” “coffee,” and “snooker.”

The update draws from varieties of English used around the world, including West African English, Maltese English, Japanese English, and South Korean English, highlighting their increasing global impact.

“Afrobeats” was included and defined as a style of popular music incorporating elements of West African music, jazz, soul, and funk. The dictionary describes “abeg” as an interjection expressing emotions such as surprise, exasperation, or disbelief, while “biko,” originally from the Igbo language, is defined as an adverb or interjection used in polite requests or agreements.

“Nyash” is defined as a person’s buttocks, while “Ghana Must Go” refers to the large chequered plastic bags commonly used in West Africa, a term tracing back to the 1983 expulsion of undocumented Ghanaian migrants from Nigeria.

“Mammy market” is recognised as a market typically run by women, originally found in military barracks and later in youth service camps and educational institutions. In the cuisine category, the dictionary included “amala,” a dough-like food made from yam, cassava, or unripe plantain flour, and “moi moi,” a Yoruba dish made from blended beans mixed with peppers, onions, and other ingredients.

In January 2025, the Oxford English Dictionary had earlier expanded its lexicon with 20 Nigerian words and expressions, underscoring the growing influence of Nigerian English, Pidgin, and street slang on global vocabulary. These included terms such as “japa,” “agbero,” “eba,” “419,” and “abi.”