TV Dictionary 2019

You don't need to wait to crack open your 2020 word-a-day calendar in order to expand your vocabulary. Without your even realizing it, your TV-viewing has been helping you do that for the last 12 months.

barbarian, Bob's Burgers

(n.) A style of bikini waxing — or lack thereof — "where you let it get crazy down there," according to Gretchen.

cancerversary, Grey's Anatomy

(n.) The anniversary of the date a young Link's scans came back clear; typically celebrated with an awkward lunch with his parents.

crapsake, American Housewife

(n.) The opposite of a keepsake, per Katie.

dadmom, Single Parents

(n.) A mom who is more like a dad in that she doesn't want to become besties and bond with the moms of every kid her son befriends. For instance, Angie realized that Nora was one when, during a playdate, the two of them "barely talked."

Earth ball, Modern Family

(n.) A globe to anyone but daffy Dylan.

glamour muscles, Grey's Anatomy

(n.) Biceps that are just for show.

Origin: When Jackson expressed amazement that Vic could move a heavy tree branch, she jokingly inquired whether all he had were glamour muscles.

Hester, Project Runway

(v.) To change one's mind halfway through a project and take it in an entirely different direction, a la Hester Sunshine.

In a sentence: "It's too late to turn that dress into pants — stop Hestering!"

himpathy, Vanderpump Rules

(n.) Feelings of sympathy for a man who has done something that would get a woman, by contrast, smack-talked, according to Kristen.

ma-chest-ical, The Masked Singer

(adj.) Having the appearance of gloriously large breasts.

Origin: Nicole Scherzinger thought Flamingo looked ma-chest-ical in one of her sultry early performances.

palentine, Single Parents

(n.) A friend getting together with another friend on Valentine's Day instead of celebrating "a cash-grab cooked up by the crepe-paper industry."

promcomise, Speechless

(v.) To compromise with one's date on prom plans. "Promcomise? That's got a great ring to it," Dylan told JJ, "but it's no reason to do it!"

Rockette, American Housewife

(n.) What strippers in Little Rock are called, at least according to Angela.

sexistential crisis, Below Deck

(n.) Chief Stew Kate's term for a desperate situation in which one isn't getting any lovin'.

situationship, RuPaul's Drag Race

(n.) A relationship like Brook Lynn and Vanjie's that's born of a situation — in their case, sharing a workroom in a drag competition.

small-dose person, The Kids Are Alright

(n.) An individual like Peggy's boy Frank whose personality grates sooner than later. As she told Father Dunne, the suck-up might even "end up being one of my holidays-only sons."

SD, You're the Worst

(n.) A super dependent — "like Rob Kardashian," Paul explained to Jimmy, "or a dog whose back legs don't work."

Syn.: Gretchen.

toe commando, American Housewife

(adj.) What a rebellious Anna-Kat said she was going when she eschewed socks and even closed-toe shoes in favor of sandals.

trainiac, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

(n.) What Jake was just dying to call a theoretical maniac intent on blowing up a train.

vagitarian, Will & Grace

(n.) Karen's term for a lesbian.

waffsicle, Bob's Burgers

(n.) A waffle that, as Louise puts it, "defies science" by being both frozen and burnt at the same time.

zucumber, Superstore

(n.) A zucchini that resembles a cucumber.

Origin: When Sandra saw one, "I thought, 'Whoa, that could really mess up dinner.'"

VEGOTSMA winner, The Voice

(n.) Not just the recipient of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, but a victorious coach on The Voice as well as People's Sexiest Man Alive.

Origin: Blake Shelton coined the term — and presented fellow coach John Legend with a pair of cutoffs bedazzled with the acronym — in recognition of the VEGOT winner being named People's Sexiest Man Alive.

nipnotize, Legends of Tomorrow

(v.) To hypnotize someone using a possessed nipple

Origin: Ava realized that Gary's plan was to nipnotize everyone at the Time Bureau.

mobsplain, Riverdale

(v.) Veronica's term for being talked down to by a Mafioso.

double slot machine, Single Parents

(n.) Miggy's term for an elliptical machine, thanks to the hand motions caused by using one. Cha-ching, cha-ching!

Limbo, Black Monday

(n.) A portmanteau for a Lamborghini limousine, otherwise known as a Lambo limo.

Grexit, Succession

(n.) Akin to Brexit, Greg's term for his departure from Waystar Royco.

JOMO, Younger

(n.) An acronym for "the joy of missing out." It's the antidote to FOMO, aka "the fear of missing out."

Origin: As one of Millennial's writers discovered, "You can miss a day online and the world doesn't come to an end." JOMO!

eternity leave, Kim Possible

(n.) A polite way of saying that someone has been fired.

Origin: As Mr. Barkin explained, he was merely filling in for Mrs. Bailey, who's on eternity leave. ("She's gone, and she ain't coming back.")

slug-drunk, Legacies

(adj.) A feeling of uninhibited freedom brought on by an infection from a supernatural slug.

Origin: Most of the shenanigans at this year's Salvatore School talent show can be attributed to the students being unknowingly slug-drunk.

pervatory, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

(n.) A place "between two worlds" where young men can meet older women who aren't offended by their horndog antics.

Origin: Jacqueline, Mimi and Lillian turned a home-basics store into their personal pervatory... until Mimi accidentally hit on her own son.

FOMOOW, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

(n.) As described by Jake, it is Amy's irrational "fear of missing out on work." 

DTF, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

(v.) The shorthand for "desiring thorough fornication," according to Captain Holt.