‘Feminism’ is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year
The reference source made its choice based on a surge in online searches in 2017, an outgrowth of the #metoo movement and the widening pushback against workplace harassment.
A lot of people were researching feminism in 2017.
That’s what Merriam-Webster says prompted its announcement that “feminism” is its Word of the Year, beating out contenders “dotard” and “complicit,” among others in its annual top 10.
‘Feminism’ was looked up 70% more in 2017 than in 2016. And it was looked up a ton in 2016.
For more on our #WordOfTheYear pick:https://t.co/DIZC3WzYCg
— Merriam-Webster (@MerriamWebster) December 12, 2017
Merriam-Webster wrote:
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2017 is feminism. The word was a top lookup throughout the year, with several spikes that corresponded to various news reports and events. The general rise in lookups tells us that many people are interested in this word; specific spikes give us insight into some of the reasons why.
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