Pop culture has an unusual way of becoming part of everyday life – there's, of course, the style and substance aspect, how fashion dictates what we sometimes wear, or the way words from huge musical hits creep into our conversations.
In the '90s, we would use words like 'word up' to acknowledge agreement (thank you Cameo), tell someone to 'talk to the hand' when we weren't listening, or describe something cool as 'phat' (as in, pretty hot and tempting). The '00s then brought us phrases like 'crunk' to describe getting wild, or declaring something 'bling-bling' to highlight its flashy extravagance. And just like today's 'cap' (a reference to lying, pulled directly from hip-hop), these terms crossed over from the airwaves into our daily conversations, showing just how much music shapes the way we speak.
It continues to this day, with a number of pop music's present-day champions throwing out words that have managed to enter almost everyone’s vernacular, and if not, at least many of us can spot the reference. But sometimes, however, without truly understanding its meaning.
To make sense of these made-up or unorthodox terms, Preply, a platform focused on efficient progress in language learning, has broken down their meanings, where they came from, and how they’ve caught on with fans. Here are eight such terms that you’ll no doubt hear in conversations at your next concert or music festival.

7. Eusexua - fka Twigs
Eusexua, coined for FKA Twigs’ 2024 concept album of the same name, is a completely original word with no prior record of existence. A fusion of euphoria and sexual, it’s used to describe a heightened state of bliss clarity. Twigs describes this as “pure presence,” when the mind goes quiet, and you’re entirely lost in the moment. So, next time you’re swept up by the music at a concert, savouring the perfect bite of food, or transfixed by art at a gallery, you might just be experiencing Eusexua. | Torben Christensen / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP

8. Bootylicious - Destiny's Child
This term, invented by 90s pop royalty Destiny’s Child, became so widespread that it was eventually added to the dictionary. Bootylicious blends “booty” and “delicious” and is used to celebrate curvaceous bodies. This body-positive anthem was well ahead of its time, and the word has since become a mainstay in every girl band enthusiast's vocabulary. | Henny Ray Abrams/AFP via Getty Images

