On January 7, 2025, the contest panel announced that the word "koalicja" (coalition) was officially recognized as the Word of the Year 2024 in Poland. In the online voting, however, the term "sztuczna inteligencja" (artificial intelligence) emerged as the winner.
According to the panel's secretary, Professor Marek Łaziński, "koalicja," which won by a significant margin, appeared in media coverage far more frequently in 2024 than in previous years and remains a universal term for political commentary. Interestingly, this word has been familiar to Poles since the 16th century and has retained its core meaning ever since.
The second-place word was "komisja" (commission), often referring to high-profile investigative commissions, while third place went to "zetki" (Gen Z), a term widely used to discuss Poland's younger generation.
In the online poll, "artificial intelligence" topped the list, followed by "babciowe" (a new social policy term related to grandparental benefits) and "powódź" (flood). Among students, the Word of the Year was "stołówka" (canteen).
The competition, organized by the University of Warsaw’s Institute of the Polish Language, highlights words that best reflect the events and themes of the past year.
Source: UW/PAP/IAR
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