Word of the year

A Word of the Year is a special word or phrase that many people use a lot during a year. It shows what was important or popular at that time.

The idea began in Germany in 1971. Later, other places like the United States began choosing their own Words of the Year too.

American Choices

In the United States, the American Dialect Society has picked a Word of the Year since 1990. They ask many linguists to vote for the best word after the year ends.

Some past Words of the Year in America include:

1990: bushlips
2001: 9-11, 9/11 or September 11
2006: to be plutoed, to pluto
2009: tweet
2010: app
2014: #blacklivesmatter
2020: Covid

Other Countries

Many other countries also pick their own Words of the Year. For example:

Australia has chosen a Word of the Year since 2006.
The Cambridge Dictionary in the United Kingdom began choosing one in 2015.
Japan has held a yearly contest for new or popular phrases since 1984.

These words help us understand what people were thinking about and talking about during the year. They show big events, new ideas, and changes in how we talk.