Word of the Year - Austerity
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
According to Merriam-Webster, "austerity" was the most-searched word in its online dictionary this year, sparked by austerity measures announced by European governments. Runners up include "pragmatic," "moratorium," "socialism," and thankfully, no Jersey Shore-related phrases.
Austerity clearly resonates with many people," said Peter Sokolowski, editor at large at Merriam-Webster, who monitors online dictionary searches. "We often hear it used in the context of government measures, but we also apply it to our own personal finances and what is sometimes called the new normal."
Second on the list was "pragmatic", a word that rose steadily in searches this year, and which the dictionary said "described a quality that people value highly, want to understand fully and are looking for in their leaders".
"Moratorium" was third on the list, reflecting the ban on offshore oil drilling that followed BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Other words in the top 10 included socialism, bigot, doppelganger, shellacking, ebullient, dissident and furtive.
Source: Merriam-Webster.
Labels: Research
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 3:25 PM,
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