Word ‘Toxic’ chosen for ‘Word of Year 2018’ by Oxford Dictionaries

The Oxford Dictionaries has been chosen “toxic” as its ‘Word of the Year 2018’. Traditionally, the word “toxic” has been used to describe harmful chemical substances e.g. toxic waste and toxic gas. The dictionary defines “toxic” as “poisonous” with its roots derived from the medieval Latin term “toxicus,” meaning poisoned or imbued with poison. But, it has recently developed wider social meanings in light of the #MeToo movement and the increasingly volatile political landscape fostered by the Brexit vote.