A dramatic change in the way we watch television has led to “binge-watch” being named the Collins Word of the Year 2015.
Lexicographers – the people who compile dictionaries – have seen a 200 per cent increase in its usage on last year as the nation’s viewers watch TV shows in different ways.
This fits in with the CollinsDictionary.com definition: “To watch a large number of television programmes (especially all the shows from one series) in succession.”
Other words that have been significant in 2015 include clean eating, dadbod and Corbynomics.
Here is a list of the new words, plus their definitions, announced by Collins:
– Binge-watch: to watch a large number of television programmes (especially all the shows from one series) in succession.
– Clean eating: following a diet that contains only natural foods, and is low in sugar, salt, and fat.
– Contactless: referring to payments, smart cards, etc that utilise RFID (radio-frequency identity) technology and do not require a PIN or signature from the customer.
– Corbynomics: the economic policies advocated by the UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
– Dadbod: an untoned and slightly plump male physique, especially one considered attractive.
– Ghosting: ending a relationship by ignoring all communication from the other person.
– Manspreading: the act or an instance of a male passenger in a bus or train splaying his legs in a way that denies space to the passenger sitting next to him.
– Shaming: attempting to embarrass a person or group by drawing attention to their perceived offence, especially on social media.
– Swipe: to move a finger across a touchscreen on a mobile phone in order to approve (swipe right) or dismiss (swipe left) an image.
– Transgender: of or relating to a person whose gender identity does not fully correspond to the sex assigned to them at birth.
