The online dictionary “Le Robert en ligne” has just revealed its top 10 most searched words in 2023. “Gênance”, “Kibbutz”, “Abaya” or even “wokism”… you may be surprised by this list !
What words were most searched for in 2023? This Thursday, January 11, 2024, the famous dictionary Le Robert online unveiled the list of the 10 words whose definition was most searched for during the past year. We thus discover that there are words that are rarely used in everyday language but that there are also words that had to be precisely defined because of a buzz, a scandal or a trend.
1. Wokism
Wokism is the most searched word online of the year 2023. Do you know its definition? Designates a current of thought of American origin which denounces injustices and discrimination, the word wokism is used in a generally pejorative manner to denounce methods considered excessive by the movement’s detractorsremember The Robert. It is formed from the African-American slang woke (“awake”), from to wake (“wake up”). We note that it was already present in the top 5 in 2022.
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2. Agnostic
Although it is in second position in the ranking, the word agnostic is, except for the other words in the list, “without apparent connection with any particular news“It refers to a person who belongs to the doctrine of agnosticism.”who considers that the absolute is inaccessible to our knowledge, or refuses metaphysical speculations, deemed useless“. The Robert further specifies that this word should not be confused with the word atheist which this time designates a person who does not believe in God because an agnostic person does not comment on the existence of God.
3. Abaya
Newly appointed Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal found himself at the heart of the news last August when he was appointed Minister of National Education. His first decision was to ban the wearing of the abaya in public schools. Faced with the controversy and debate generated by this measure, the definition of the word abaya has been hotly searched for on the Web. French translation of the Arabic word meaning “coat, cape“, the abaya refers to a long female garment that covers the entire body with the exception of the face and hands.
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4. Factious
This word was popularized during the mobilization against pension reformwhen Emmanuel Macron then declared: “WeHe can accept neither the factious nor the factions…”. Le Robert indicates that this word describes “a person who exercises violent opposition against the established power tending to provoke unrest”. It was thus strongly used by the political adversaries of Jean-Luc Mélenchon to qualify him.
5. Kibbutz
Once again, the news has something to do with it. And it was sadly the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 that led to an increase in searches for the definition of this word. The Robert explains that a kibbutz (“community” in Hebrew) is “a cooperative agricultural operation serving as a framework for a community organization of life“.
6. Nareux
Enters Little Robert in 2020, the word “nareux” designates a personpicky about keeping food and cutlery clean, and easily becomes disgusted“. Against all expectations, this word would be widely used in certain regions of the north-east of France but also in Belgium.
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7. Implosion
In June 2023, the tragic implosion of the Titan submarine led to a spike in searches. An implosion is the sudden bursting of a hollow body, which collapses on itself under the effect of an external pressure greater than its own.
8. Embarrassment
Did you know that this word has existed for a long time and that it was no longer used… until its big comeback in 2016? Widely used by young people, it designates “a feeling of embarrassment, unease” during an embarrassing situation.
9. Promulgate
Worried about pension reform, many French citizens sought the definition of this word in relation to the legislation. It actually means “officially publish and make enforceable“.
10. Jaculatory
In May 2023, Pope Francis called on X (formerly Twitter), the faithful to “practice ejaculatory“. Against all expectations, this word designates “short and fervent prayers“. As specified in Le Robert, it is a “religious borrowing from the Christian Latin jaculatorius (“thrown quickly, characterized by a fiery gush”), which was already an abstract specialization of the initial meaning, derived from jaculari (“throw, release”). Enough to confirm that there is a link with the word that you certainly thought of…