The tech industry will be glad to see that the word “contactless” also blew up and made it to Collins’ shortlist, after many, many years of trying to convince us that juggling a multitude of competing digital wallets and systems is preferable to juggling a multitude of different coins and credit cards.
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A survey found that 92% of viewers admitted to “binge-watching” – viewing more than three episodes of a series in one day – with 37% having spent an entire weekend watching one show, according to digital video recording company Tivo.
The term, named 2015 Word of the Year, is defined as watching multi episodes of a television programme in rapid succession, typically on DVD or through online streaming.
“The rise in usage of “binge-watch” is clearly linked to the biggest sea change in our viewing habits since the advent of the video recorder almost 40 years ago”.
Male binge-watchers who don’t watch their diet are in danger of developing a “dadbod”, a physique which is plump and untoned but still considered attractive.
But just how numerous words are you actually acquainted with?
A diet of “clean eating” refers to one which avoids processed foods and is heavy in raw and unrefined produce.
Contactless: Referring to payments, smart cards, etc that utilise RFID (radio-frequency identity) technology and do not require a PIN or signature from the customer.
-Corbynomics (noun): the economic policies advocated by the UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Use of the word “shaming” has tripled in usage since 2014, which Collins highlight as being a result of negative comments on social media, while “transgender” has doubled in usage thanks in part to high profile figures such as Caitlyn Jenner and Laverne Cox bringing it into the media spotlight.
Shaming: The act or practice of attempting to embarrass a person or group by drawing attention to their perceived offense, especially on social media.
Swipe: to move a finger across a touchscreen on an electronic device as a means of inputting a command.
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-Transgender (adjective): Of or relating to a person whose gender identity does not fully correspond to the sex assigned to them at birth.
