Merriam-Webster's 'Words of the Year 2005' Stem from Natural and Political Crises

The "Words of the Year 2005" from Merriam-Webster Online are surprising.

In years past, the buzzwords have tended to be drawn from culture and technology. This year, crises both natural and political seem to have been the source of our buzzwords.

Merriam-Webster's first word of the year: integrity.

The rest of the Words-of-the-Year are in the following list.

• refugee
• contempt
• filibuster
• insipid
• tsunami
• pandemic
• conclave
• levee
• inept

There are also lists of words for previous years.

The "word of the year" I have personally employed most often, I would venture, is "insipid." But I would get into unnecessary trouble if I were bold enough to explain why in this venue!