Australian-coined "selfie" is 2013 word of the year
Sydney - Australians rejoiced Tuesday over "selfie," a term of their coinage meaning a picture of oneself posted on a social media site, being named the Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year for 2013.
Selfie was first spotted on an Australian blog in 2002 and came in ahead of contenders "binge-watch," "showrooming" and "twerk," the British dictionary publisher said online.
"Binge-watching" is viewing several episodes of a television programme at one go. "Showrooming" is checking a product in a shop before buying it online. "Twerk" is to twirl your bottom in a sexually suggestive dance.
The word was "selfy" initially but "selfie" is the dictionary spelling.
"The use of the diminutive -ie suffix is notable as it helps to turn an essentially narcissistic enterprise into something rather more endearing," Oxford Dictionaries said in a statement.
The publisher's Oxford English Dictionary is considered the most authoritative compilation of British English vocabulary and spelling.
