RAE adds ‘asere’ and ‘cocotaxi’ to the Spanish dictionary

The Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) and the Association of Academies of the Spanish Language (ASALE) added ‘asere’ and ‘cocotaxi’ to the 24th edition of the Dictionary of the Spanish Language, presented in Madrid on October 30. Both entries carry a geographic label linking them to Cuba. The new edition thus adds two Cuban terms to the academic work alongside other dictionary additions.

The Cuban Academy of Language proposed including ‘asere.’ The dictionary defines it as a close friend or inseparable companion. The entry identifies both the meaning attributed to the term and its geographic connection with Cuba. ‘Cocotaxi’ is also among the Cuban additions in this edition, which brings new words and meanings into the Spanish-language reference work.

The presentation was led by Santiago Muñoz Machado, director of the RAE and president of ASALE, together with academic Paz Battaner, director of the edition. During the event, representatives of the national academies belonging to the association read selected terms from among the additions. The two Cuban words were announced as part of that list during the presentation of the new edition.

The print work, published by Espasa in two hardcover volumes totaling 3,606 pages, reached bookstores on October 21. The digital dictionary was updated on the Friday of the presentation. The edition is therefore available both in print and online, with each format corresponding to the work's 24th edition.

Adding ‘asere’ and ‘cocotaxi’ places these Cuban terms in the academic dictionary with a geographic reference to Cuba. In the case of ‘asere,’ the Cuban academy's proposal is reflected in a definition associated with close friendship. Representatives of the RAE and its partner academies gathered at the ceremony to present additions to the edition directed by Paz Battaner.