We recently told you about Merriam-Webster’s choice for 2022’s word of the year - “gaslighting.” The publishing company also shared honorable mentions including “omicron,” “oligarch,” and “codify.” And now Oxford Dictionaries has named its word of the year … but it’s actually a phrase - “goblin mode.”
It defines the term as “a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations.” The word of the year is supposed to be a word or expression that reflects “the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the past twelve months,” according to Oxford Dictionaries.
“Given the year we’ve just experienced, ‘goblin mode’ resonates with all of us who are feeling a little overwhelmed at this point,” said Oxford Languages President Casper Grathwohl. And making it more interesting? This is the first year that the winning word was chosen by a public vote from three finalists selected by Oxford Languages lexicographers. “Goblin mode” blew the other choices away with 93% of the vote, followed by “metaverse” in second and “IStandWith” in third place.
Source: USA Today
photo: Getty