Britain may be yet to leave the European Union, but the term for its departure - "Brexit" - has earned a place in the Oxford English Dictionary. "You-tuber" and "Glam-ma" are also among the latest entries.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
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Oxford University Press confirmed on Thursday that "Brexit" is among this year's additions to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). The noun "Brexit" is defined as "the (proposed) withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, and the political process associated with it. Sometimes used specifically with reference to the referendum held in the UK on 23 June 2016, in which a majority of voters favoured withdrawal from the EU."
The word has rapidly entered common usage since Britain voted to leave the 28-nation EU in the June 23 referendum. Article 50 - the formal process of the UK's departure - is expected to be triggered by the end of March 2017. However, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis, said on Wednesday that the UK still won't have a Brexit plan until February.
Glam-mas get their freak on
Another EU-related word to enter the OED is Greece's potential exit from the EU's single currency - Grexit.
Social media made its mark on the dictionary too, with "YouTuber" - a producer of material for the video-sharing website - also landing a spot. Other additions include "glam-ma," a glamorous grandmother, and "get your freak on," a term for exuberant sex or dancing which first gained prominence in 2001 following the release of the Missy Elliott song of the same title.
"Verklempt" - which derives from the German "verklemmt" meaning uptight or inhibited - has also entered the OED as an adjective meaning overwhelmed by emotion.
The OED traces the history, meaning and pronunciation of more than 829,000 words and aspires to be the most complete record of the English language ever assembled.
Germany's top 10 Words of the Year
Post-truth, Brexit and the Trump effect: Along with its Word of the Year, the Society for the German Language lists the 10 terms that are widely used to comment on political and social issues.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/U. Zucchi
1. postfaktisch
"Postfaktisch," or post-truth politics, was a worldwide phenomenon observed in 2016. Several political campaigns were based on appeals to emotions rather than facts. During the US presidential debates, Donald Trump got fact-checkers working overtime - but in the end, his outright lies apparently didn't matter at all.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Images/Yomiuri Shimbun
2. Brexit
A term abbreviated from "British exit," the word dominated many discussions in Europe in 2016, as a referendum was held in the UK in June to decide whether it should leave the European Union.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/W. Kumm
3. Silvesternacht
The connotations for "Silvesternacht" (New Year's Eve) used to be purely festive. After the massive sexual assaults that took place in Cologne on December 31, 2015, the term is loaded with a new meaning in Germany, associated with the difficult debate on the integration of refugees.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Boehm
4. Schmähkritik
This one can be difficult to translate precisely: "Schmähung" means blasphemy, abuse, dispraise, sarcasm, so "Schmähkritik" is abusive criticism. It was the title of satirist Jan Böhmermann's defamatory poem targeting Turkey's President Erdogan, which unleashed a diplomatic row, lawsuits and debates on freedom of expression.
5. Trump-Effekt
The German media attributed many political and financial developments to the "Trump effect." His style has certainly influenced many other populist politicians, and his surprising election put Europeans on alert mode, giving many far-right parties hope that they too could reproduce Trump's unexpected triumph.
Image: Reuters
6. Social Bots
Another "German" expression adopted from English, social bots are computer programs that interact on social media such as Facebook and Twitter, simulating human behavior. They are used to promote products or political ideas. It's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish them from real people, which is why they can influence public opinion.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J.Arriens
7. schlechtes Blut
It means "bad blood" and it was an expression used by Turkish President Erdogan to criticize German parliamentarians with Turkish roots who voted to recognize Turkey's massacre of Armenians at the beginning of the 20th century as genocide. The Society for the German Language finds it worrying that such nationalist terms are being used in politics.
Image: picture alliance/ZUMA Press/S. K. Das
8. Gruselclown
The weeks preceding Halloween this year were affected by a "creepy clown" craze, with pranksters dressing that way in different countries to deliberately scare people. The German word to describe them is "Gruselclown."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Becker
9. Burkiniverbot
The burkini ban voted upon in France this year was also widely discussed in Germany. The burkini is a portmanteau word combining burka, the garment worn by some Muslim women that covers the entire body and veils the face with an opening for the eyes, and bikini.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca
10. Oh, wie schön ist Panama
The title of this beloved children's book by Janosch was translated in English as "The Trip to Panama" but the original title is literally, "Oh, how beautiful is Panama." The cultural reference was often used by the German media when the Panama Papers were leaked in April 2016. The offshore financial records exposed widespread global corruption.
