Word of the Year

Pragmatic tops the list of Merriam-Webster's 2011 words of the year. Defined as "practical as opposed to idealistic," pragmatic was the most frequently looked-up word at Merriam-Webster's Web site. Other top words reflect issues and concerns that dominated the news in 2011:

• ambivalence

• austerity

• diversity

• capitalism

• socialism

• vitriol

Merriam-Webster also offers a 2011 timeline of words that sparked people's interest because of events in the news. For example, following the August 23rd earthquake in the East Coast of the United States, the word temblor enjoyed its fifteen minutes of fame.

When you need just the right word (or just the right encyclopedia article), be pragmatic: use the UMUC Library's Guide to Dictionary and Encyclopedia Resources.