YOU know a language is alive and kicking when new words are coined and are passed in general circulation. People immediately use the new words so as not to be the last one in the know. Many years ago, my Uncle Gustave said “jeprox” was the in-word. It is 1970s slang word to denote someone cool.

Many of the words we encounter are in circulation only in the region they first came to be of use. Then as more and more people use it, and with the help of social media, they enter national circulation.

Words gain bragging rights as dictionary entries, only when they have entered the general dictionary. In other words, they have become global. For example, Merriam-Webster entered the Tagalog word bundok (variant boondock) in its pages to mean “rough country filled with dense brush or a rural area.” Adidas (barbecued or deep-fried chicken feet) and balut (boiled fertilized duck egg) have their niche in Merriam’s list. Just this year, Merriam added new words that are related to food. Here they are:

MISE EN PLACE (French) has gained global usage in restaurant kitchens. It is used to mean “the laying out of food preparation before service.”

HOPHEAD refers to a beer enthusiast. Beer is brewed from malted barley, although rice and wheat can also be used. Hops are added to give it a bitter taste.

You can add beer to dishes you want to have more body. It can be added to batter, marinades, chili con carne, meat stews and even gin. Some guys I know, have created the “Beergin” mix.

FLIGHT is a selection of alcoholic drinks. It’s like degustacion, only it’s all about alcohol.

ZOODLES is mock noodles using zucchini strings to replace regular noodles. Since zucchini can be difficult to spell and might be prohibitive in price because it’s imported, I tried it anyway. Do I hear laughter?

I only used one piece to make carbonara mock-pasta. Just blanch the veggie noodles and cook quickly. I also replaced zucchini with more affordable bantiyong (gourd) with good results.

MOCKTAIL is non-alcoholic cocktail. There is this brand of iced tea that sells cranberry mocktail. It has a pleasant flavor. You can make mocktails using fruit juice or a mixture of vegetable and fruit juices. When making regular cocktail, skip the alcoholic element.

HANGRY is a combination of angry and hungry. It means being irritable or angry because of hunger.

IFTAR is a meal that Muslims have at sunset during Ramadan.

GOCHUJANG is a Korean word for chili paste.