word of the year

graphic showing collins word of the year

A year of ‘permacrisis’

The 2020s have certainly seen their fair share of upheaval – and we’re only two years in! Already this decade we’ve had to contend with a pandemic and its aftermath, a brutal new war in Europe, and in the UK an economic crisis that saw the Bank of England warning… Read More

Get your crypto at the ready: NFTs are big in 2021

The digital revolution continues apace, changing our culture, relationships and the way we do business. Facebook recently announced it would change its trading name to Meta to better reflect its interest in the metaverse, a concept that has been described “a dream for the future of… Read More
lockdown word of the year 2020

The year of lockdown

It’s no surprise that quite a few of the words on Collins Word of the Year 2020 shortlist have one big thing in common: the pandemic. Something that changed everyone’s lives so profoundly – leaving no country or continent untouched – was bound to have a… Read More

The rich tapestry of language provides a varied Word of the Year 2019 list

In a year dominated by contentious political issues as well as environmental concerns, it is hardly surprising that many of the words Collins’ lexicographers found coming to the fore during 2019 were either directly political in nature, such as ‘entryist’, or being used most frequently in political contexts, such as… Read More

Collins Word of the Year 2019 shortlist

Climate strike has been announced as the Collins Word of the Year 2019. climate strike (ˈklaɪmɪt ˌstraɪk) noun: a form of protest in which people absent themselves from education or work in order to join demonstrations demanding action to counter climate change Discover the rest of… Read More

Collins 2018 Word of the Year Shortlist

Single-use has been announced as the Collins Word of the Year 2018. Discover the rest of the words in this year’s shortlist. Single-use Adjective: made to be used once only Backstop Noun: a system that will come into effect if no… Read More

‘Floss’, ‘VAR’ & ‘Vegan’ – #CollinsWOTY 2018 is here!

Some people get hyped for Halloween, others are crackers for Christmas. Here at Collins Dictionaries, Word Of The Year is like all the major annual holidays rolled into one. We arrive at work on the glorious day, dressed as giant dictionaries, clutching our reusable coffee cups in honour of single-use…… Read More

Etymology Corner – Collins Word of the Year 2018

It’s the most wonderful time of the year once again, Collins Dictionary have announced the 2018 Word of the Year shortlist. Our lexicographers monitor the 4.5 billion-word Collins Corpus and create the annual list of new and notable words that reflect an ever-evolving culture and the preoccupations of those who… Read More
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