Oxford Word of the Year: ‘Post-Truth’

Oxford Dictionaries’ international word of the year for 2016 is “post-truth,” due mostly to the rise in false statements by political leaders in major elections around the globe. The short list of contenders included words such as “Brexiteer,” referring to the United Kingdom’s vote to leave the European Union, and “alt-right,” referring to the fringe movement said to be nationalistic and white supremacist. “Post-truth” is an adjective describing a stituation in which facts and information have less of a bearing on individuals’ opinions than emotional appeals. Oxford officials say the word has been used 2,000 percent more than it was in 2015, due in large part to the mistruths propagated during the Brexit campaign in the U.K. and the U.S. presidential election.