News Brief: The Oxford English Dictionary has added campuser, detoother and muchomo to its latest update, recognising expressions rooted in Uganda’s university culture, everyday relationships and popular street food.
Kampala, Uganda — Three expressions familiar to many Ugandans, campuser, detoother and muchomo, have been included in the latest update of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), bringing local vocabulary into one of the world’s most influential historical dictionaries.
The additions were announced by Oxford Languages last month, September 23, 2026, as part of an update featuring words from different varieties of English around the world, including East African English.
According to the OED, campuser refers to a university student. Although the word was originally used in the United States in the early 20th century, it is now chiefly associated with Uganda. The dictionary records the word from 1934.
Another Ugandan expression, detoother, refers to a gold-digger. The term derives from the verb detooth, which was added to the OED in the previous year’s East African English update.
The word is linked to the Luganda verb okukuula, literally meaning to extract a tooth, but also used figuratively to describe seducing someone to obtain money. The OED records detoother from 1988.
The third addition, muchomo, describes a popular Ugandan dish consisting of marinated pieces of meat grilled or roasted on a skewer. Often sold by street vendors, the meat is commonly eaten as a snack. The word, recorded from 1992, is borrowed from the Ugandan dialect of Swahili.
The inclusion of the three expressions highlights the contribution of everyday Ugandan speech, food culture and social interactions to the wider English language.
The latest update also features words from Ethiopia, including azmari, referring to a poet and musician who composes and sings verses spontaneously, usually while playing a traditional string instrument, and berbere, a blend of powdered spices commonly used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking.
The OED’s expanded East African English entries also include ablution block, East African English, Kenyan English, Tanzanian English and Ugandan English, reflecting the vocabulary and language varieties used across the region.
The Oxford English Dictionary is a historical dictionary that documents the meanings, development and usage of words and phrases across the English-speaking world. Unlike dictionaries focused mainly on present-day definitions, it traces how words have evolved over time through historical evidence and quotations.
Oxford Languages says a word is considered for inclusion when editors have gathered independent examples from a variety of sources and established that it has been in use for a reasonable period.
The September 2026 update also covers additions from Bermuda, the Caribbean, New Zealand and Wales.
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