'Fake news' named word of the year, even though it's two words
We're not faking you out, the trendy phrase won. Runners-up include "gig economy," "fidget spinner" and "echo chamber."
- Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
This story isn't fake news, but "fake news" has been named the Word of the Year by Glasgow-based Collins Dictionary. Even though it's two words, not one.
"It has been derided by the leader of the free world and accused of influencing elections, but 'fake news' is today legitimate news as it is named Collins' Word of the Year 2017," the dictionary site announced Thursday.
Good luck going back in time and trying out the phrase on yourself just two years ago because it barely existed then. Collins reports that "the word saw an unprecedented usage increase [of] 365 percent since 2016."
Collins defines the term as meaning "false, often sensational, information disseminated under the guise of news reporting."
The site also listed a number of runner-up words. "Antifa," "fidget spinner," "gender-fluid," "echo chamber" and "gig economy" all made that list. And one of the almost-ran words was distinctly British -- "Corbynmania" is defined as "fervent enthusiasm for Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the UK Labour Party."
The dictionary teamed up with UK improv group The Free Association to produce a fake newscast highlighting fake news.
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