Shirtfront has been selected as the word of the year, standing out for its prominence in politics and the media.
The sporting term – originally meaning to either bump an opponent or grab their jersey – shot into common conversations after Prime Minister Tony Abbott declared he would shirtfront Vladimir Putin.
Mr Abbott’s comment towards the Russian leader was mocked by Mr Putin’s staff and Australian politicians alike, before the Prime Minister backed away from the comments ahead of the G20 Leaders Summit.
The Australian National Dictionary Centre announced the term as word of the year on Wednesday, beating out the other shortlisted terms of Team Australia, man-bun, Ned Kelly beard, and coward punch.
The Centre’s Mark Gwynn stated that little was known of the sporting phrase before Mr Abbott’s now-infamous use of it in October.
In a statement posted on the Centre’s website, Mr Gwynn said the “threat” was widely discussed and satirised in both Australian and international media.
Both British Prime Minister David Cameron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the term in speeches to the Australian parliament, with the latter suggesting the continual stream of political addresses was Mr Abbott’s way of “shirtfronting” local politicians.
The Word of the Year was chosen by staff following research and public suggestions.
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