Merriam-Webster has selected the word of the year and it’s all about being true to yourself. The dictionary’s choice for 2023 is the word “authentic.”
While there’s been a high number of searches for the word for the last several years, editor at large Peter Sokolowski says there was a “substantial increase” of them in 2023, thanks to “stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity and social media.” According to the announcement on Merriam-Webster’s site, the reason “authentic” is looked up so much is because it has several meanings, including “not false or imitation” and “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.”
“Authentic” is a synonym of real and actual and it’s “clearly a desirable quality,” the dictionary reports, noting that the word is often connected to identity. Merriam-Webster points out that celebrities including Sam Smith and Taylor Swift made headlines this year when talking about seeking their “authentic voice” and “authentic self.”
Other words that the dictionary says stood out in searches this year include:
- “Deepfake,” which they define as “an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said.”
- “Rizz,” which started as Internet slang and was added to the dictionary in September. They define it as “romantic appeal or charm” as a noun, and as a verb, it means “to charm or seduce.”
- Kibbutz, coronation, dystopian, EGOT, implode, Doppelgänger and covenant are some of Merriam-Webster’s top words of 2023.
Source: CNN
Scott's Thoughts:
- Seems like an appropriate choice, especially ahead of the next presidential election!
- Seems to me that 'authentic' is thrown around a whole lot. Especially with foods.
- I sometimes look up words online. I haven't used a book dictionary since high school.