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definitions

buzzword

[ buhz-wurd ]
/ ˈbʌzˌwɜrd /
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR buzzword ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a word or phrase, often sounding authoritative or technical, that is a vogue term in a particular profession, field of study, popular culture, etc.

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RELATED WORDS

slang, neology, coinage

Nearby words

  1. buzzcut,
  2. buzzer,
  3. buzzkill,
  4. buzzsaw,
  5. buzzwig,
  6. buzzy,
  7. buñuel,
  8. buñuel, luis,
  9. buñuelo,
  10. bv

Origin of buzzword

First recorded in 1965–70; buzz1 + word
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for buzz word

buzz word

noun

informal a word, often originating in a particular jargon, that becomes a vogue word in the community as a whole or among a particular group
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for buzz word

buzzword

n.

also buzz word, 1946, from buzz (n.) + word (n.). Noted as Harvard student slang for the key words in a lecture or reading. Perhaps from the use of buzz in the popular counting game.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper