25 November 2015

Oxford Dictionaries 2015 Word of the Year is not even a word

Oxford Dictionaries announced its 2015 Word of the Year this week, and the choice is a reflection of computer-aided communication.  

It’s actually not even a word; it’s a pictograph — the “face with tears of joy” emoji.  


“(The emoji) was chosen as the ‘word’ that best reflected the ethos, mood, and preoccupations of 2015,” according to the website. 

Other contenders  

Other words or phrases that were considered for this year’s choice, according to OxfordDictionaries.com:      

sharing economy - An economic system in which assets or services are shared between private individuals, either for free or for a fee, typically by means of the internet     

they - Used to refer to a person of unspecified sex     

on fleek - Extremely good, attractive or stylish      

Ad blocker - A piece of software designed to prevent advertisements from appearing on a web page      

refugee - A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution or nature disaster      

Brexit - A term for the potential or hypothetical departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union     

Dark Web - The part of the world Wide Web that is only accessible by means of special software, allowing users and website operators to remain anonymous     

lumbersexual- A young urban man who cultivates an appearance and style of dress (typified by a beard and check shirt) suggestive of a rugged outdoor lifestyle