Words at Play : Word of the Year Retrospective
Defined as "enforced or extreme economy," lookups for austerity peaked dramatically several times throughout 2010, as people's attention was drawn to global economic conditions and debt crises in Europe. "We often hear it used in the context of government measures, but we also apply it to our own personal finances and what is sometimes called the new normal," says Sokolowski.
Other top lookups in 2010 largely reflected a somber national mood: bigot, furtive, moratorium. But one notable exception was ebullient – "having or showing liveliness and enthusiasm" – which leaped to the top of the searches as the world watched the rescue of the Chilean miners.
More Words at Play
