According to Google’s 2020 Year in Search, the most common queries of the year sought answers to the question of why. Other topics were more practical, less profound. From washing hands to cutting hair to baking bread, many of our searches also asked how to.
Other inquiries sought to understand what and when -- What is a coronavirus? When will a vaccine be available -- while other queries targeted who. From NBA stars and Hollywood celebrities to civil rights leaders, United States Supreme Court justices, and victims of tragic loss, the names of the people with whom we share this increasingly fragile planet also topped our searches.
National elections and global pandemics dominated our thoughts. Dictionary.com proclaimed “pandemic” to be the Word of the Year. President Trump’s contributions to the lexicon were noted, as were the slang terms used by Gen Z-ers. Even words used in specific contexts like the workplace got special mention, and WebMD highlighted the top 10 COVID-related terms of the year as well.
Journalists for the paper of record as well as our state capital documented the subjects and phrases that helped us understand the developing year. Other news outlets traced the terms used by everyday people to describe their personal experiences of this “unprecedented” moment in time. And still others have taken a look forward to the trends and terms that will define our new year ahead.
Whether you adopt “balance” or “renewal” or “prosperity” or “hope” for your personal word of 2021, we at the Harris County Law Library wish you a very happy new beginning and all the best in the year to come. Cheers!
These Are the Most Searched Words in Your State During the Pandemic – Dictionary.com
Coronavirus Affected Everything — Including the Words of 2020 – NPR
Oxford Dictionaries: 2020 has too many Words of the Year to name just one – The Guardian
Fauci, Kamala and other words you pronounced incorrectly in 2020 – CNN.com
Introduction to ‘Word of the Day’ – New York Times
Phil – A DIY Crossword Puzzle Builder