The words include "lodestar," an obscure word that took center stage in one of the biggest political mysteries of the year, and "laurel," which may have been the word you heard in a viral social-media recording from May.
Others on the list were words associated with American icons who died in 2018: "respect" for Aretha Franklin and "maverick" for John McCain.
Those four words, along with the others on the list, were looked up at significantly higher rates than in years past, according to the dictionary.
Read on to see Merriam-Webster's top 10 Words of the Year:
Nationalism
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People flocked to the dictionary to find the meaning of the word "nationalism" in late October after President Donald Trump described himself as a nationalist during a Texas rally.
"You know, they have a word its sort of became old-fashioned its called a 'nationalist.' And I say, really, were not supposed to use that word," Trump said. "You know what I am? Im a nationalist, OK? Im a nationalist. Nationalist. Nothing wrong. Use that word. Use that word."
Merriam-Webster said look-ups for the word spiked 8,000% after Trump used it. The dictionary defines nationalism as "loyalty and devotion to a nation," especially "exalting one nation above all others."
Pansexual
Another popular word for dictionaries this year was "pansexual," which relates to "sexual desire or attraction that is not limited to people of a particular gender identity or sexual orientation," according to Merriam-Webster .
The increase in attention can be attributed in part to Janelle Monae, the singer and actress who said she identified as pansexual in an interview with Rolling Stone.
Lodestar
Associated Press/Evan Vucci
One of the biggest political mysteries of the year centered on the use of the word "lodestar."
As political pundits debated the identity of the author, they zeroed in on one word used in the op-ed: lodestar . The fairly obscure word means "a star that leads or guides" or "one that serves as an inspiration, model, or guide" and Vice President Mike Pence happens to have a history of using it.
Epiphany
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The K-Pop group BTS is responsible for sparking curiosity in the word " epiphany ," meaning "an illuminating discovery."
Feckless
But what sent people to the dictionary was her use of the word "feckless" in the same insult. The dictionary defines feckless as weak, ineffective, or worthless.
Laurel
A recording of the word laurel or is it yanny? lit social media on fire in May, sparking endless debate and quickly becoming 2018's version of " the dress ."
In any case, the controversy generated outsize interest in the world " laurel ," a tree or shrub whose leaves are often used for adornment. Merriam-Webster said the yanny-laurel saga caused a 3,300% spike in look-ups for the word.
Pissant
One of the dictionary's MVPs this year was "pissant," an obscure word that people looked up 115,000% more than usual when it played a role in a controversy involving NFL star Tom Brady.
A " pissant " is "one that is insignificant," according to Merriam-Webster, noting that it's "used as a generalized term of abuse."
Respect
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"Respect" is the name of Franklin's signature 1967 song. Merriam-Webster defines it as "high or special regard" and "the quality or state of being esteemed."
Maverick
McCain earned the reputation of a "maverick" for his willingness to buck traditional Republican orthodoxy. Originally referring to an unbranded range animal, a maverick in the political sense means "an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party," according to Merriam-Webster .
Excelsior
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The word is Latin for "higher," and Lee used it as a sign-off at the end of his monthly columns for Marvel Comics.
SEE ALSO: Merriam-Webster's 2018 word of the year has appeared in political headlines nonstop for months
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