The Wombinary
The Lexicon
Modern, inclusive language for experiences that deserve better words. Help us grow this living dictionary.
Modern, inclusive language for experiences that deserve better words. Help us grow this living dictionary.
Showing 25 terms
Mourning someone who is still alive but has chosen distance.
lossThe longing to be truly seen in pain — not fixed, not advised, just seen.
connectionThe exhaustion of appearing fine while holding something enormous alone.
silenceDreading that you've slowly become the person who once hurt you.
identityWanting something deeply without being able to name what it is.
longingBeing depended on by others while having nothing left for yourself.
depletionReplaying a moment until it grows larger than the moment itself.
ruminationThe stretch after a loss when ordinary things lose their color for a while.
griefLeaving a conversation before saying what you actually needed to say.
avoidanceThe difficulty of holding a limit with someone you deeply love.
relationshipsThe guilt that grows around messages you've left unanswered too long.
connectionThe body's residual awareness of a pregnancy that is no longer present.
bodyQuiet mourning for the version of yourself who existed before a body change.
bodyPerforming care language without meaningful support or follow-through.
cultureGetting stuck in a feed even when you want to step away.
attentionThe cognitive fog that lingers after too many back-to-back calls.
workThe depletion of being everyone's first person to call.
depletionThe flattened mood that follows a long stretch of passive scrolling.
attentionGender-neutral term for someone who gives birth, inclusive of all identities.
identityThe small adrenaline spike from a phone buzz you didn't ask for.
attentionWhen a woman shares an idea that gets ignored, then a man says the exact same thing five minutes later and receives a standing ovation.
erasureThe economic phenomenon where razors, shampoo, and clothing cost significantly more the moment they are made pink.
economyThe unsolicited demand that a woman smile more, as if her face is public property and a neutral expression is a punishable offense.
autonomyUnconsciously wagering against someone's ability, credibility, or outcome based on ingrained bias rather than evidence.
biasOccupying space in a room while being treated as though your essence — your thoughts, your weight, your relevance — is spectral. You are there. You just do not land.
presence
Have a word — or an experience that needs one — that deserves to live here? Add it. Nikkie reviews every submission before it joins the lexicon.