SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

'Post-truth' chosen as word of year

"Post-truth" has been chosen as the word of the year by Oxford dictionary editors.

1 min read

Published

Source: AAP


Skip to article content

Oxford dictionary editors have chosen their word of the year: "post-truth," a term sometimes used to describe the current political climate.

Oxford Dictionaries said on Wednesday that use of the term rose 2,000 per cent between 2015 and 2016, often in discussions of Britain's decision to leave the European Union and the campaign of US President-elect Donald Trump.

It's often used in the phrase "post-truth politics" and is defined as belonging to a time in which truth has become irrelevant.

Each year, Oxford University Press tracks how the English language is changing and chooses a word that reflects the mood of the year.

Runners-up for 2016 include "Brexiteer," an advocate of the UK leaving the EU; the extreme conservative movement known as the "alt-right"; and "hygge," the Danish concept of domestic coziness.


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world