Merriam-Webster's Word Of The Year

It's Right On The Tip Of Every American's Tongue, But What Does It Mean?

(AP)  Everyone seems to want one, but apparently a lot of Americans aren't sure what exactly a "bailout" is.

The word, which shot to prominence amid the financial meltdown, was looked up so often at Merriam-Webster's online dictionary site that the publisher says "bailout" was an easy choice for its 2008 Word of the Year.

The rest of the list is not exactly cheerful. It also includes "trepidation," "precipice" and "turmoil."

"There's something about the national psyche right now that is looking up words that seem to suggest fear and anxiety," said John Morse, Merriam-Webster's president and publisher.

Several well-worn terms from the presidential campaign also made the cut: "maverick," "bipartisan" and, coming in at No. 2, "vet" - to appraise and evaluate, as in vetting a vice presidential pick.

But none topped "bailout," a seemingly simple word that suddenly took on $700 billion worth of importance in September - and prompted hundreds of thousands of online lookups within just a few weeks.

How big was "bailout," etymologically speaking? While Congress was considering the enormous financial industry rescue package this fall, searches for "bailout" eclipsed perennial puzzlers like "irony" and the bedeviling duo of "affect" and "effect."

So how does Merriam-Webster define "bailout"? As "a rescue from financial distress." But Morse says those who looked it up also seemed to want to know whether it had negative nuances or suggested irresponsibility or blame.

"People seem to have a general understanding of the word 'bailout,' but they seem to want to better understand its application, any connotations it may have and shades of meaning," he said.

The publisher usually picks its Word of the Year by considering the number of lookups and whether certain unusual terms submitted by online users have slipped into everyday discussion.

That's how the whimsical and technology-driven term "W00t" - that's spelled with two zeros, used by online game players to express triumph or happiness - gained the top spot in 2007.

A year earlier, online dictionary users picked "truthiness" as No. 1 after it was coined by Comedy Central political satirist Stephen Colbert.

But this year, Merriam-Webster switched its procedure to consider only the volume of lookups of particular words, noting that "bailout" and others were looked up so frequently that their importance could not be ignored.

Interest in "vet" spiked in June as presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke about the team he had assembled to "vet" possible running mates.

"Socialism" and "rogue" also had many hits - the former as people debated whether economic help to businesses was tantamount to socialism, and the latter as pundits questioned whether Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin hurt John McCain's presidential bid by "going rogue," or defying his campaign's control.

And "misogyny," defined as hatred of women, was looked up in huge numbers on the online dictionary as Hillary Clinton's supporters questioned whether it had derailed her presidential hopes.

Allan Metcalf, executive secretary of the American Dialect Society - which picked "subprime" as its 2007 word of the year - said he thinks "bailout" was a good choice by Merriam-Webster.

It may even be in the running for the American Dialect Society's 2008 word when it is selected in January, Metcalf said.

"If we were to sift through the words of the past year and pick the most significant, the ones that characterized the year, the ones that remind us what we were thinking about and talking about, then I'd say 'bailout' is a good choice," he said.

[armydog2]

"How to f@ck over the American taxpayer" now that sound better than bailout.

[slim1h2o]

Gee,, and I thought the word "sc/rewed" would have been the top word of the year.

[earache4]

And this whole time I thought a bailout was a by-product of trickle down economics. Boy you republicans sure showed me...

[jankvkleve]

I understand that the word is used in reference to rescuing failing corporations, but I''m unclear about the etymology. Does it come from bailing out as in a pilot ejecting from an airplane about to crash, bailing water out of a boat which is sinking, or bailing a person out of jail? I suspect that those providing the bailout think mostly of the last meaning, and think of it as a temporary reprieve for which the person bailed out is still accountable. The employees are bailing as fast as possible to keep their respective ships from sinking. And the executives see it as their chance to bail out with golden parachutes.

[earache4]

bailout (noun) bayl-owt 1. The act of removing liquid from a container. 2. To jump from an airplane usually with a parachute. 3. A desperate act of throwing enormous predetermined sums of money into a failed banking system without actually specifying where the money should go or how the money should be spent; usually done without any mention of an overseer, supervisory body, accountability, or regulation. (see socialism)

[barbaram99]

*bailout rescue from financial distress* that is in my large print dictionary. That is the word of the year..I would have picked fear as the word of the year.

[downsteamjim]

I thought it would be ''butwait''. This is the word at the end of infomercials where they say "You get this product ''butwait''..." and they double the offer etc.

[jtormey3]

Stephen J. Perrault, Editor
Merriam-Webster%u2019s Collegiate Dictionary
Re: New Dictionary Word/%u201CSturgell%u201D: Meaning, %u201C(To) Lie%u201D
Dear Mr. Perrault:
Request is made that you add a new word in your next edition of Webster%u2019s. %u201CSturgell%u201D has slithered into American vernacular since 2003. 2003 is when failed FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell a/k/a %u201CThe Sturg-EEL%u201D commenced %u201Cwork%u201D with FAA. Since then Sturgell has constantly put profits over people. He harmed American citizens and our aviation system. Quiet Rockland seeks to cement Bobby Sturgell%u2019s legacy. The noun definition of %u201CSturgell%u201D is %u201Ca lie%u201D or %u201Can act of evasion%u201D. The verb definition of %u201CSturgell%u201D is %u201Cto lie%u201D or %u201Cto squirm away%u201D. Below is a first draft of the definition of %u201CSturgell%u201D. Please edit before publication:
%u201Csturg*ell (stir%u2019jill) vt.[[from American Bobby Sturgell, failed FAA Administrator 2007-08]] 1 to lie, especially to Congress and to the American people 2 to evade, slither, squirm away (as an eel would do) 3 to lie repeatedly 4 to lie for the sake of aeromercantile profit at the expense of citizenry 5 to put innocent people at risk of death or bodily harm, and then lie about it ---n. 1 a lie 2 an act of evasion (not to be confused with Watergate burglar Frank Sturgis, except in terms of ethics).

[susanhelit]

Hey - a definition of the word irony - a few posts below! Someone complains about the education of Americans that they need to look the word "bailout" up - apparently because they failed to educate themselves by reading the article where it was made clear the word appears to be being looked up to see what negative connotations there may or may not be in the precise definition of the word.

It always happens. You correct someone on their spelling, and your post inevitably contains a spelling error. You twit Americans about their education - and you have a lack of research in your own comment.

[secundus2]

Those pondering the mysteries of "bailout" can note that the word contains the sentences: ''Iou a blt'' and ''Out a lib''. Bad juju.

[mtminds]

How can anything be Upbeat without an up. No one could get an upstart without an up. Your logic is upside down and can not stand up.

I am concerned for the level of education average Americans for the word bailout to be on Webster''s chart of the most looked up.

[puzzler125]

I''d love to see the word "guys" retired. Also, phrases that end in "up" as in: cook up, stir up, meet up, talk up, etc. The up simply isn''t necessary.

[bjcone8559]

Should have picked the word ''moose''.

[evian_ycnan]

Fear and loathing on the word trail.