Merriam-Webster's #1 Word of the Year for 2008
By DAVID ORTEZ on December 03, 2008
Merriam-Webster has announced its 2008 "Word of the Year." The winner is "Bailout," which "received the highest intensity of look ups on Merriam-Webster Online over the shortest period of time."
Bailout has been used by the media ever since Bear Stearns collapsed and the Federal Government rushed in to save it. In this context Merriam-Webster defines it as "a rescue from financial distress." The top ten words of 2008 are as follows.
- Bailout
- Vet
- Socialism
- Maverick
- Bipartisan
- Trepidation
- Precipice
- Rogue
- Misogyny
- Turmoil
Interesting enough 6 of the top 10 words may have been influenced by politics or recent domestic news. Did you catch the words that Sarah Palin used or may have been used to describe her? What about the fact that most of these words may be perceived negative or at least have negative connotations.