The Macquarie Dictionary Word of the Year for 2020 is doomscrolling. The word was chosen from a longlist of 75 that was whittled down to 15 by the Macquarie Word of the Year Committee. Check out the 15 words on the shortlist below. For insight into individual categories, see our Word of the Year blog series.
In light of the pandemic, this year we also decided to create a COVID category to isolate the many words arising from this global crisis. Go here to find out which word won the special COVID category.
Find out which word was voted the People’s Choice Word of the Year.
adaptive clothing
noun clothing which has been designed to facilitate dressing for someone with a physical or intellectual disability, incorporating such features as velcro, different positions for fastenings, special fabrics, etc.
Also, adaptive wear.
bee vectoring
noun a form of crop pest control in which hived bees are used to transport an organic powdered pesticide to any flora they pollinate, the bees having to pass through the pesticide as they leave the hive, with the powder attaching to their fine body hairs.
cottagecore
noun Colloquial a lifestyle characterised as being rustic or old-fashioned, involving such pastimes as handcrafting, baking, gardening, etc.
[COTTAGE + (HARD)CORE]
doomscrolling
noun Colloquial the practice of continuing to read news feeds online or on social media, despite the fact that the news is predominantly negative and often upsetting.
Also, doomsurfing. –doomscroller, noun
HIA
noun (in sport) a procedure which determines if a player who has sustained contact to the head has suffered concussion, the player being allowed to return to the field if cleared.
[h(ead) i(njury) a(ssessment)]
inclusion rider
noun a clause in the contract of an actor, filmmaker, etc., which specifies a level of diversity to be met in the project’s staffing, especially in relation to gender, race, sexuality and disability.
Karen
noun Colloquial (pejorative) (a term used predominantly to refer to a middle-class white woman, often of generation X, who is regarded as having an entitled, condescending and often racist attitude.)
[Karen being a common name of this generation]
lo-fi
adjective (of wine) produced with minimal processing or intervention.
[modelled on HI-FI; generalised from specific music context, with sense of simplicity, low intervention, etc.]
panda bashing
noun Colloquial (derogatory) criticism of a Chinese government policy, action, etc., by another country, especially a western country.
–panda basher, noun
profit-for-purpose
adjective of or relating to a business which directs a portion of its profits towards a specific area of social or environmental welfare: a profit-for-purpose organisation; the profit-for-purpose sector.
pyrocumulonimbus
noun a cumulonimbus which forms above a source of intense heat, such as a bushfire, volcanic eruption, etc.
seened
adjective Colloquial of or relating to a text message, post, etc., which is registered as having been viewed, but which has not been responded to.
sky puppy
noun (plural sky puppies) Colloquial a bat, especially a flying fox.
stalkerware
noun a type of spyware which a person installs on another’s smartphone or other digital device, usually without the user’s knowledge or consent, through which the installer can remotely monitor the user’s location, communications, search history, etc.
Also, creepware.
suicide first aid
noun emergency mental health support given to a person who is seen to be at risk of taking their own life, until the services of a professional can be obtained.
–suicide first aider, noun
