The Word That Defined Our New Reality: Unlocking the True Meaning Behind 'Lockdown'
Discover how the term 'lockdown' evolved to capture the global experience of 2020, surpassing even 'coronavirus' in cultural impact.
Can you guess which word truly shaped 2020?
According to experts at the renowned Collins Dictionary, while the term "coronavirus" was searched and used 35,000 times more frequently in English compared to the previous year, it was the transformation in the meaning of the word "lockdown" that stood out as the defining linguistic event of 2020.
"Lockdown became the state we feared most in 2020 — a universal pause where nearly every aspect of normal social life came to a halt."
— Collins Dictionary
Before 2020, "lockdown" primarily referred to emergency prison protocols where inmates were confined to their cells due to disturbances. However, the pandemic irreversibly shifted its meaning. Today, it embodies the widespread isolation measures imposed by health systems worldwide.
Beyond "lockdown" and "coronavirus," Collins Dictionary highlighted other pivotal terms reflecting societal shifts: "social distancing," "self-isolation," and "unpaid leave." These expressions collectively narrate the profound changes in daily behavior and lifestyle experienced globally.
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