The top ten words of 2021 have been revealed, with 'NFT' named as Word of the Year.

Collins Dictionary create an annual list of the top ten words and crowned the abbreviation of “non-fungible token” as their Word Of The Year after seeing a more than 11,000% rise in usage in 2021.

NFT – the unique digital identifier that records ownership of a digital asset – has entered the mainstream this year as millions has been spent on the most sought-after images and videos.

Describing the word to the PA News Agency, Alex Beecroft, from MD Collins Learning, said: “It’s unusual for an abbreviation to experience such a meteoric rise in usage, but the data we have from the Collins Corpus reflects the remarkable ascendancy of the NFT in 2021.

“NFTs seem to be everywhere, from the arts sections to the financial pages and in galleries and auction houses and across social media platforms. 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."

Other words the featured on the list included 'pingdemic' which relates to when people using the NHS app were pinged to self-isolate following contact with someone with a confirmed case of Covid-19.

Additionally, the term “climate anxiety” has made the list, reflecting people’s growing concerns about climate change and the perceived lack of action to tackle it.


READ MORE: Cambridge Dictionary reveals word of the year for 2021


What were the top 10 words of 2021?

All definitions come from the Collins Dictionary website.

NFT - abbreviation for non-fungible token: a digital certificate of ownership of a unique assest, such as an artwork or collectible

Pingdemic - the large-scale notification of members of the public by a contract-tracing app

Crypto - short for cryptocurrency: a digital currency used for online purchases

Climate anxiety - a state of distress caused by concern about climate change

Double-vaxxed - having received two vaccinations against a disease

Metaverse - a proposed version of the internet comprising three-dimensional virtual environments

Cheugy - no longer cool or fashionable, often in reference to someone or something from the 2000s

Hybrid working - the practice of alternating between different working environments, such as home and office

Neopronoun - a recently coined pronoun, especially one designed to avoid gender distinctions

Regencycore - a style of dress inspired by clothes worn in high society during the Regency period (1811-20)