Buzzword is a term that came into use in America in the mid-1940s. We will examine the definition of the word buzzword, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.
A buzzword is a word or phrase that is popularly used when talking about a particular subject or field. A buzzword is jargon that is used as a signal that the speaker is knowledgeable about the subject. Buzzwords are often technical terms or common cliches that become overworked. Using a buzzword may also be a sort of shorthand between people who know the subject and do not need lengthy explanations of ideas. Buzzwords are commonly used in business, technology and politics. Some examples of business buzzwords are synergy, incentivize and outside the box. Buzzword was coined by Harvard students in the mid-1940s to mean the keywords in a lecture. It is a combination of the words buzz, taken from a counting game of the time, and word. Buzzword is a closed compound word, which is formed by combining two words with no hyphen or space between them.
Examples
A bean-paste bun that takes its name from a buzzword associated with the cronyism allegations leveled at Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2017 has become a hit for the design firm that came up with the product. (The Japan Times)
If there has been one buzzword in the food and drink world recently, “vegan” is surely it. (The Independent)
Charcoal, the latest beauty buzzword, is fast becoming a mainstream beauty trend, thanks to a slew of new launches. (The Malay Mail)
Personally, I believe a buzzword that requires this much explanation is more of a nuisance than it’s worth. (Forbes Magazine)