Oxford Dictionary names 'vape' word of the year

Oxford Dictionaries has named "vape" as the word of the year, according to media reports on Thursday.

Researchers found that use of the word vape, meaning to inhale from an e-cigarette, has doubled in a year. This reflects the popularity of e-cigarettes, a device that contains nicotine but not tobacco, and produces vapor instead of smoke.

Judy Pearsall, editorial director for Oxford Dictionaries, said, "As vaping has gone mainstream, with celebrities from Lindsay Lohan to Barry Manilow giving it a go, and with growing public debate on the public dangers and the need for regulation, so the language usage of the word vape and related terms in 2014 has shown a marked increase."

Having become the word of the year 2014, the word "vape" has beaten "bae", a term of endearment for a romantic partner, and "indyref",which is used to describe the poll on Scottish independence.

Since it began the tradition in 2004, Oxford Dictionaries said it chose its word of the year with the help of software that scans the Internet web for emerging linquistic trends. But the final choice is made by humans, including the dictionary's editors who flag words that they notice popping up in their own day-to-day reading and conversation.

(Agencies)