Covidiot To Zumping: A Guide To Coronavirus Slang Terms

A look at the new words that have emerged due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way the world lives. Countries across the globe have restricted international travel, imposed lockdowns and set in place rules and regulations to contain the spread of the highly infectious disease. As millions stay indoors in quarantine, there has been a simultaneous surge in the popularity of video conferencing platforms like Zoom, home-cooking videos on YouTube and DIY tutorials on how to cut your own hair or bake your own bread without yeast. Stepping out, when absolutely necessary, is also done with the security of hand sanitizers and face masks. Indeed, the coronavirus pandemic has changed our lives - it has even changed the way we speak. 

Since the pandemic, several new coronavirus-related words have entered people's vocabulary. A look at some of these words - from covidiot to zumping and more - will help you stay informed in these times of social distancing and self isolation. Here is your guide to some of the coronavirus-related slang words you may see frequently in news stories, tweets and social media posts nowadays:

Covidiot: A blend of COVID-19 and idiot, covidiot is a slang insult for a person who disregards safety measures or goes against public health advice amid the pandemic. 

Covidient: The opposite of a covidiot is a covidient or a person who follows all government rules and regulations related to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Quarantini: A quarantini is nothing more than a cocktail that people drink at home while under quarantine. A mix of the words quarantine and martini, quarantini is a general term for any beverage consumed at home during lockdown. 

WFH: WFH stands for "Work for Home' - which has become the new normal in several countries. 

Coronaspeck: A slang term for weight gained during the coronavirus lockdown. 

Zumping: For break-ups in the time of social distancing, zumping is a slang for dumping someone over Zoom, or any video calling service. 

Zoom-Bombing: Zoom-bombing is when an uninvited guest gate-crashes a virtual meeting and takes control of it, perhaps even sharing inappropriate content. 

Virtual Happy Hour: Since meeting with friends after work or grabbing a beer after office is now next to impossible, virtual happy hour refers to meeting friends for drinks over a video conference platform like Zoom, Google Hangouts etc. 

How many did you know? Let us know using the comments section.