From ‘austerity’ to ‘hallucinate’: how the Cambridge Dictionary’s Words of the Year have endured
From ‘austerity’ to ‘hallucinate’: how the Cambridge Dictionary’s Words of the Year have endured
By Rosalind Moran
This year – 2024 – will be the 10th year in which Cambridge chooses a Word of the Year. With this in mind, we revisit our Words of the Year from previous years and see how they have stood the test of time.
Words of the Year, also sometimes abbreviated as ‘WOTY’, are words selected by organisations – in particular language organisations – that capture an aspect of the year just past. Many dictionaries get involved, in addition to the Cambridge Dictionary, which is the world’s most popular dictionary for English language learners.
So do the Cambridge Dictionary’s words endure, and what do they say about the last ten years?
Words of the Year
WOTY 2015 austerity
the condition of living without unnecessary things and without comfort, with limited money or goods, or a practice, habit, or experience that is typical of this
How does ‘austerity’ resonate in 2024?
While ‘austerity’ was used specifically to describe UK economic strategy in 2015, the ongoing cost-of-living crisis means that ‘austerity’ remains a word with a distinctly current feeling. As 2024 begins, a new United Nations report highlights the precariousness of the world economy and the impact that tight financial conditions will continue to have on individuals worldwide.
WOTY 2016 paranoid
feeling extremely nervous and worried because you believe that other people do not like you or are trying to harm you
How does ‘paranoid’ resonate in 2024?
2016 marked a significant departure from ‘business as usual’ politics and uncertainty following the UK’s departure from the European Union and the election of businessman Donald Trump as US president, in what Cambridge described as “one of the most extraordinary political stories of modern times”. Perhaps reflecting the year’s turbulence, ‘paranoid’ saw a search spike among Cambridge Dictionary users along with similar words such as ‘anxiety’ and ‘chaos’.
As anxieties continue to swirl surrounding fake news and the uses (and misuses) of AI, the emotions underpinning paranoia remain familiar to many as we enter 2024.
WOTY 2017 populism
political ideas and activities that are intended to get the support of ordinary people by giving them what they want
How does ‘populism’ resonate in 2024?
The word ‘populism’ grew in use from 2016 onwards. Pope Francis warned against a rising tide of populism in a widely reported interview with El País newspaper. It may prove to be newly relevant this year, as a combined population of approximately 49% of the people in the world, spread across at least 64 countries, head to the polls. To what extent will populism be present in this year of political elections? The answers will lie in the ballot results.
WOTY 2018 nomophobia
fear or worry at the idea of being without your mobile phone or unable to use it
How does ‘nomophobia’ resonate in 2024?
‘Nomophobia’ does not seem to have entered the popular lexicon – however, the sensation it describes is certainly one with which many people can identify in 2024. The Guardian began this year with a feature article on phone addiction, and technology detoxes and ‘slow living’ remain concepts with a strong grip on the cultural imagination. Cambridge Dictionary’s 2017 choice was prescient.
WOTY 2019 upcycling
the activity of making new furniture, objects, etc. out of old or used things or waste material
How does ‘upcycling’ resonate in 2024?
As 2023 is confirmed as the hottest year on record, a focus on managing resource scarcity and promoting more sustainable ways of living looks set to endure in 2024. Upcycling continued to gain traction in 2019 when school students took part in strikes and marches about climate change across the globe. Reusing existing good and materials in order to extend their lifespan was a popular initiative then and will likely prove popular in years to come.
WOTY 2020 quarantine
a specific period of time in which a person or animal that has a disease, or may have one, must stay or be kept away from others in order to prevent the spread of the disease
How does ‘quarantine’ resonate in 2024?
As the Covid-19 pandemic spread across the globe, ‘quarantine’ was a logical Word of the Year in 2020. While lockdowns are now largely relegated to the past, memories of quarantine and other pandemic-related measures remain alive in people’s minds. As threats of future pandemics are ongoing, the word will never be far from our lexicon.
WOTY 2021 perseverance
continued effort to do or achieve something, even when this is difficult or takes a long time
How does ‘perseverance’ resonate in 2024?
‘Perseverance’ captured the mood in 2021, as people worldwide sought to create order and implement new ways of living during a pandemic and against the backdrop of a new era of global conflict. It will likely remain important both in 2024 and the years beyond as people in many parts of the world continue to grapple with crises including wars, climate emergencies, and social and economic instability.
WOTY 2022 homer
[US, informal] short for ‘home run’: a point scored in baseball when you hit the ball, usually out of the playing field, and are able to run around all the bases at one time to the starting base
How does ‘homer’ resonate in 2024?
A quirky word choice, ‘homer’ was the most searched-for word on the Cambridge Dictionary website in 2022, owing to it being an answer in the internationally popular word game, Wordle. The word “illustrates how English speakers continue to be divided between English language varieties”, as Wordle players outside the US struggled to identify the word or its meaning.
While Wordle and baseball may not necessarily be focal points for all in 2024, communication and language – in an election year – certainly will be. Ongoing challenges exist in cross-cultural communication; this issue is important and perennial.
WOTY 2023 hallucinate
When an artificial intelligence (= a computer system that has some of the qualities that the human brain has, such as the ability to produce language in a way that seems human) hallucinates, it produces false information
How does ‘hallucinate’ resonate in 2024?
Developments in artificial intelligence (AI) are continuing to accelerate, meaning AI hallucinations will remain a point of importance in 2024 as individuals and organisations seek to use AI effectively and responsibly. Our 2023 word of the year made a big splash – if you want to read more about AI hallucinations and why they matter so much, you can do so here.
Wendalyn Nichols, Cambridge Dictionary’s Publishing Manager, said: “Every year since 2015, the Cambridge Dictionary has chosen a word of the year that captures an aspect of what characterised that year.
“With almost a decade of word choices on record, we now have a valuable time capsule: a collection of words that indicates which terms people were searching for in the Cambridge Dictionary, and which ideas captured the zeitgeist."
Learn more about the Cambridge Dictionary
Built with ShorthandFrom ‘austerity’ to ‘hallucinate’: how the Cambridge Dictionary’s Words of the Year have endured
This year – 2024 – will be the 10th year in which Cambridge chooses a Word of the Year. Do the Cambridge Dictionary’s words endure, and what do they say about the last ten years?
