Oxford Dictionaries USA Word of the Year 2012 is ‘to GIF’ | OxfordWords blog.
Gif is the word of the year, according to Oxford Dictionaries USA.
And yes, it is a real word.
Used as a verb to create a gif file, this word subsequently created an internet craze involving memes. Everything from ‘gangnam style’ to the presidential debates had a meme online this past year, which used the gif file type.
Although gifs have been around for over 20 years now, its popularity skyrocketed via social media.
Gifs are not a new technology, but a new internet craze.
Gifs have become such a staple of communication that major media outlets are recognizing this cult phenomenon. Newsweek complied a list of the ten best memes from the vice presidential debate.
Gifs have brought new meaning to ‘going viral’.
