Top word of 2023: 'Authentic' takes the spotlight. Really!

By Dilara Hamit

ANKARA (AA) – The US' oldest dictionary, Merriam-Webster, a direct descendant of the pioneering 1806 dictionary by Noah Webster, has picked "Authentic" as the word of 2023.

"Authentic' is Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year! Genuinely," the dictionary’s website announced on Tuesday.

According to the Merriam-Webster website, the interest in this year's word is attributed to "developments in artificial intelligence and social media."

The statement declared that the most used word of the year is "authentic," with a "significant increase" in internet searches seen throughout the year.

The statement highlighted that the popularity of the word rose with the blurring line between real and fake and also cited another highly searched term, "deepfake," which is used for artificial intelligence-based technology that produces fake videos.

In 2022, in contrast, Merriam-Webster declared the word of the year to be "gaslighting,” a term used to describe the manipulation that causes a person to question their own reality.