Merriam-Webster's word of the year isn't even a full word
2015's word of the year, according to Merriam-Webster's editors, is a three-letter suffix: "-ism." The editors say there have been huge spikes in searches for words ending with the suffix this year, including "socialism, fascism, racism, feminism, communism, capitalism, and terrorism," CBS News reports.
"These words reveal our curiosity and our engagement,” editor-at-large Peter Sokolowski said. "We're looking at the news through the prism of vocabulary. A definition can be the beginning of reflection. This year, we've certainly had a lot on our minds."
Merriam-Webster's editors hypothesize that current events, such as alleged racism in recent police violence, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' socialism, and big moments for feminism like Emma Watson's United Nations speech or the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to Malala Yousafzai, contributed to the suffix's surge.
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Other popular lookups this year include the words marriage, hypocrite, respect, inspiration, and minion.
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