Yahoo News Oxford English Dictionary reveals 2017 word of the year
Why hello youths – put down your Instagrams and turn off the Snappychat, for you have made the Oxford English Dictionary word of the year.
Yes, "youthquake" has been named 2017's top word, just to prove how in touch the world (and the OED) is with you.
But, let's be honest, how many of you actually knew that was a word, or what it means, exactly? Nope, us neither.
The word is defined as "a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people", and it actually dates all the way back to the 1960s (it really shows) after Vogue editor Diana Vreeland made it up to describe how British youth were changing fashion and music around the world (via The Guardian).
'Youthquake' took on an increasing relevance in 2017 during the general election and the rise of young political engagement in the Labour Party.
"In the UK, where it rose to prominence as a descriptor of the impact of the country's young people on its general election, calls it out as a word on the move," said Oxford Dictionaries' Casper Grathwohl (via BBC News).
Twitter was at its natural best following the news:
'Fellow kids - want to grab a #youthquake & meme our Snapchatters?' pic.twitter.com/U5G1UrwD5h
- Toby Earle Toby Earle Toby Earle Toby Earle Toby E (@TobyonTV) December 15, 2017
The Dictionary people: the word of 2017 is #youthquake!
Everyone else: pic.twitter.com/N7T5cyxGGH- Alex Davies (@alexanderdavies) December 15, 2017
Me pretending I know what a #youthquake is. pic.twitter.com/pmWt7X7r1S
- Amanda (@Pandamoanimum) December 15, 2017
if you have never heard of #youthquake you are not alone pic.twitter.com/6WxyHhcVpF
- Jason Murdock (@Jason_A_Murdock) December 15, 2017
On the Oxford Dictionary's choice of #youthquake as the word of 2017 pic.twitter.com/URLGhlNtnP
- Una Power (@unapower) December 15, 2017
I run a charity for young people.
This is not a word that I have ever heard used.
Anywhere. By Anyone.#Youthquake https://t.co/mJpHnnpK4X- Ruth Ibegbuna (@MsIbegbuna) December 15, 2017
Me pretending to know what #youthquake is.. pic.twitter.com/75ElNcmaZb
- Ross S Purves (@RossSPurves) December 15, 2017
Ah, but of course the hugely popular #youthquake should be the OED word of the year. pic.twitter.com/QXcft0Y3VC
- Amanda (@Pandamoanimum) December 15, 2017
The dictionary's criteria for its word of the year are words that "attracted a great deal of interest during the year to date".
Other words in contention for 2017 included "antifa" (or anti-facist), "broflake" (a play on snowflake, a man who is upset by progressive attitudes) and "milkshake duck" (a person on social media that, while at first endearing, turns out to have an unappealing back story).
However, over at the Collins Dictionary, the word of the year is "fake news" – which is actually two words. Gosh guys.
(At least we've heard it before, though.)
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