Buzzword

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbʌzwɜː(ɹ)d/

Definitions

1. A term or phrase that becomes popular in a specific field or context to impress or attract attention
2. A fashionable word or expression often used in business or technology to sound current or knowledgeable
3. A popular or trendy term commonly used in conversations or marketing to convey modern ideas

Etymology: The word "buzzword" is a compound of "buzz" and "word", and its sense of a fashionable term is a comparatively recent coinage, dating to the 1970s in the United States. The "buzz" element carries the idea of a sound that spreads through a crowd, the murmur of talk that rises when something is attracting attention. A buzzword is therefore a term that circulates loudly through conversation and advertising, catching the ear because everyone seems to be repeating it. Because the compound is transparent, its history is short and plain. The word was formed in English from ordinary parts rather than borrowed from another language, and the most surprising thing about it is how new it is: a term for a familiar kind of jargon that most speakers would assume is far older.

Synonyms: catchphrase, slogan, term, jargon, hype

Antonyms: plain language, ordinary word, common term, unremarkable expression, simple phrase