Oxford Dictionaries has selected “post-truth” as 2016’s international word of the year.
The selection comes after the contentious “Brexit” referendum and an equally divisive U.S. presidential election dominated headlines around the globe. The political climate caused the use of the adjective to skyrocket beating out finalists like “alt-right” and “woke,” according to the Oxford University Press.
The dictionary defines “post-truth” as: “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.”
Oxford Dictionaries said Wednesday that use of the term rose 2,000 per cent between 2015 and 2016.
Of course, the selection is further proof that 2016 has been a pretty intense year. In 2015, the word of the year was a laughing emoji.
