ASKING BIG QUESTIONS

Dictionary.com Names ‘Existential’ 2019 Word of the Year

Online searches for the word spiked this year as discussions about climate change, gun violence, and democratic institutions became more prevalent.

As society grapples with climate change, gun violence, and the future of democracy, Dictionary.com chose “existential” as its word of the year. The word is defined as “of or relating to existence,” as well as “concerned with the nature of human existence as determined by the individual’s freely made choices.” “It captures a sense of grappling with the survival—literally and figuratively—of our planet, our loved ones, our ways of life,” Dictionary.com said in its release. “But, existential also inspires us to ask big questions about who we are and what our purpose is in the face of our various challenges—and it reminds us that we can make choices about our lives in how we answer those questions.”

Dictionary.com’s runner-up word of the year is “nonbinary,” which is defined as “noting or relating to a person with a gender identity or sexual orientation that does not fit into the male/female or heterosexual/gay divisions.”