Merriam-Webster ... has announced the Top Ten Words of the Year for 2010 ... determined by the volume of user lookups at Merriam-Webster.com in response to current events and conditions.
Topping the list is austerity, defined as "enforced or extreme economy."
Lookups for austerity peaked dramatically several times throughout the year, as people's attention was drawn to global economic conditions and the debt crises in Europe, but lookups also remained strong throughout the year, reflecting widespread use of the word in many contexts.
"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."
yahoo news : Runners-up also announced Monday included "pragmatic," "moratorium," "socialism," and "bigot" — the last word resulted from public uses by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former CNN host Rick Sanchez and former NPR senior analyst Juan Williams.
Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster's editor-at-large, said this year's top 10 words were associated with a news event or coverage, which editors believe resulted in prolonged jumps in searches.
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"Around 20 to 30 years ago, everyone would know what 'socialism' was," said Metcalf, who is also executive secretary of the American Dialect Society. "Same with bigot. That fact that they have to be looked up says something about us."
Although a number of words on this year's list reflect a somber national mood, one notable exception is ebullient – "having or showing liveliness and enthusiasm" – which leaped to the top of the searches as the world watched the rescue of the Chilean miners.
Other words in the 2010 Top Ten List:
MW's Word of the Year Archive dating to 2003, when MW started making the selection:
2009: Admonish — "to express warning or disapproval to especially in a gentle, earnest, or solicitous manner."
Extensively looked up after Rep. Joseph Wilson, R-South Carolina, was admonished for shouting "you lie" at President Barack Obama during a speech to Congress.
2008: Bailout — "A rescue from financial distress."
Selected by huge volume of lookups as Congress was considering $700 million bailout package for financial industry.
2007: W00t — "Expression of joy or triumph, or an obvious victory; abbreviation of 'We Owned the Other Team,' originating from computer-gaming subculture."
Selected as representative of new words, often whimsical and clever, emerging from new technology.
2006: Truthiness — "Truth that comes from the gut, not books." Popularized by Comedy Central satirist Stephen Colbert; selected as Word of the Year by Merriam-Webster's online users.
Picked as national political debates questioned what constitutes "truth," and whether it is subjective. Deemed by Merriam-Webster as a playful term for an important issue.
2005: Integrity — "Firm adherence to a code; incorruptibility."
Picked as national political discourse centered on integrity, and lack thereof, in public servants on national and local levels.
2004: Blog — "A Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer. Short for Weblog."
Selected as it rocketed to prominence in midyear, driven by growth and popularity of blogs.
2003: Democracy — "Government by the people, especially: rule of the majority, or: a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections."
Selected as one of the most frequently looked up words each year, especially in a campaign season preceding noteworthy elections.
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Sources: Merriam-Webster/The Associated Press/yahoo news