The Australian public has spoken and 'bachelor's handbag' – a precooked bagged chicken – is their favourite new word of 2022.
The overall winner was 'teal' – an independent political candidate who holds moderate views but supports strong climate action (so-called as many such politicians use the colour teal in their electoral material).
A Pams precooked chicken Photo: Pams
Others to make Macquarie Dictionary yearly shortlist include:
'Brickies laptop' - a pokie machine
'Spicy cough' - Covid-19
'Nepo baby' - a sometimes derogatory word for a celebrity (often in the entertainment industry) who has a famous parent.
'Quiet quitting' - the practice of strictly limiting oneself to performing the tasks within one's job description, and working only the hours for which one is contracted.
Photo: The Lazy Goldmaker
'Goblin mode' - a way of being that embraces slovenliness - made the Macquarie Dictionary shortlist and also beat out 'Metaverse' and '#IStandWith' to be named the first-ever Oxford Word of the Year.
The public voted for 'goblin mode' to be included in The Oxford English Dictionary as the word best reflecting "the ethos, mood, or preoccupations of the past 12 months".
"Given the year we've just experienced, 'goblin mode' resonates with all of us who are feeling a little overwhelmed at this point," said Oxford languages president Casper Grathwohl.
