The 127-year-old American Dialect Society (ADS) was, as far as we know, the first organization to declare a word of the year. A host of dictionaries, media outlets, and others now offer their own choices for word of the year, but the ADS—made up of linguists, lexicographers, etymologists, and other researchers—still gives the most authoritative account of big linguistic movements over 12 months of American English.
Each January, ADS members nominate and vote on words in various categories; think of it as the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards of linguistics. There is a category for word of the year, of course, but also most creative word, most outrageous, least likely to succeed, and more. New categories this year are most notable emoji and most notable hashtag.
And the awards for 2015 are in.
The word of the year? Singular “they,” used to refer to a person of any gender, as in the sentence, “If somebody decides to take on this challenge, I sure hope they know what they’re getting in to.” This usage replaces what we’ve long been told should be “he or she,” only it is shorter, already widely used in conversation, and does not imply the old man/woman gender binary. (Quartz independently chose “they” this year as well.)
“While editors have increasingly moved to accepting singular they when used in a generic fashion, voters in the Word of the Year proceedings singled out its newer usage as an identifier for someone who may identify as ‘non-binary’ in gender terms,” the ADS noted in its official statement.
Here are the full results for all categories, including the total number of votes, and definitions provided by ADS.
Word of the Year
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| ammosexual | someone who loves firearms in a fetishistic manner |
| ghost | (verb) abruptly end a relationship by cutting off communication, especially online |
| on fleek | put together, impeccable, well-arrayed |
| thanks, Obama | sarcastic expression in which a person pretends to blame Obama for a problem |
| they | gender-neutral singular pronoun for a known person, particularly as a nonbinary identifier |
Most Useful
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| mic drop | definitive end to a discussion after making an impressive point |
| microaggression | subtle form of racism or bias |
| shade | insult, criticism or disrespect, shown in a subtle or clever manner |
| they | gender-neutral singular pronoun for a known person, particularly as a nonbinary identifier |
| zero fucks given, ZFG | indication of supreme indifference |
Most Creative
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| adult | (verb) behave like a grownup |
| ammosexual | someone who loves firearms in a fetishistic manner |
| lowkey | (adverb) to a small extent, in a subtle manner; opposite of highkey |
| squad | one’s posse or close circle of friends |
| yass, yaass, yaaass, etc. | expression of excitement, approval or strong agreement |
Most Unnecessary
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| dadbod | the flabby physique of a typical dad |
| manbun | man’s hairstyle pulled up in a bun |
| or nah | question tag expressing that something may not occur |
| trigger warning | alert for potentially distressing material |
| thanks, Obama | sarcastic expression in which a person pretends to blame Obama for a problem |
Most Outrageous
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| fish gape | posed expression with cheeks sucked in and lips slightly apart |
| fuckboy, fuckboi | derogatory term for a man who behaves objectionably or promiscuously |
| schlong | (verb) defeat soundly |
| sharewashing | deceptive marketing by companies treating services as “sharing |
| white student union | campus organization organized in response to a black student union |
Most Euphemistic
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| af, asf | intensifier after an adjective (abbreviation for “as fuck”) |
| lit | amazing, exciting or fun |
| Netflix and chill | sexual come-on masked as a suggestion to watch Netflix and relax |
| swipe right/left | accept or reject (based on gestures used on Tinder dating app) |
Most Likely to Succeed
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| CRISPR | gene-editing technology allowing biologists to alter and control DNA sequences |
| ghost | (verb) abruptly end a relationship by cutting off communication, especially online |
| mom | admiring term of address for a woman seen as a mother figure |
| on fleek | put together, impeccable, well-arrayed |
Least Likely to Succeed
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| Berniementum | momentum behind the candidacy of Bernie Sanders |
| hoverboard | self-balancing motorized skateboard |
| sitbit | device that rewards sedentary lifestyle (play on Fitbit fitness tracker) |
| Uber for X | pitch used by startups seeking to emulate Uber in different tech sectors |
Most Notable Hashtag
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| #JeSuisParis | expression of solidarity after the Paris terror attacks |
| #LoveWins | celebration of Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage |
| #SayHerName | call to bring attention to violence against women of color |
| #StayMadAbby | ridiculing plaintiff in Univ of Texas affirmative action case. |
| #StayWoke | exhortation to remain vigilant and informed (used by #BlackLivesMatter movement) |
Most Notable Emoji
| Nominee | Meaning |
|---|
| 😍 | heart eyes (romantic, passionate) |
| 😉 | winking face (humorous, flirtatious) |
| 💁 | information desk person (sassy, sarcastic) |
| 🍆 | eggplant (sexual innuendo) |
| 💯 | 100 (“keep it 100,” “keep it real”) |
