NFT, short term used for non-fungible token has been made word of the year by Collins Dictionary. According to the dictionary, the use of the the abbreviation rose by more than 11,000% in 2021.
It is unusual for an abbreviation to have such a popularity, Alex Beecroft from Collins Dictionary said.
“Whether the NFT will have a lasting influence is yet to be determined, but its sudden presence in conversations around the world makes it very clearly our word of the year,” he added.
NFTs are certificates to say that you own something digital – so original versions of viral videos, memes or tweets can be sold as if they were art.
NFT is one of three tech-based words to make Collins’ new words list, as well as “crypto”, the short form of cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, and “metaverse”, which describes a three-dimensional virtual world.
Other words on Collins list include:
- “Climate anxiety” – reflecting people’s growing concerns about climate change and the perceived lack of action to tackle it
- “Neopronoun” – words that serve as pronouns but, unlike “he” or “she”, are free of gender
- “Cheugy” – a slang term used to describe, and dismiss, anything seen as hopelessly uncool or unfashionable
‘Lockdown’ had been the word of the year in 2020 selected by the Collins.
This year other words such as “Hybrid working” and “double-vaxxed” have also gain popularity. “Pingdemic” is another popular word in the list which denotes self-isolation rules but pressure on workforces across the UK.
Original report by BBC.