COVID-19: 'Lockdown' declared Collins Dictionary word of the year

"Lockdown" has been declared the word of the year for 2020 by Collins Dictionary, after a sharp rise in its usage during the pandemic.

Collins said it encapsulates the shared experience of billions of people.

Lexicographers registered more than 250,000 usages of "lockdown" during 2020, up from just 4,000 last year.

Other pandemic-linked terms on the 10-strong list include "furlough", "key worker", "self-isolate" and "social distancing" as well as "coronavirus".

According to the dictionary, lockdown is defined as "the imposition of stringent restrictions on travel, social interaction, and access to public spaces".

[Source: BBC]