Non-binary pronoun 'they' named Merriam-Webster word of year

Sam Smith performs onstage during 102.7 KIIS FM's Jingle Ball 2019 Presented by Capital One at the Forum on December 6, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. They recently revealed a preference for "they/them" pronouns "after a lifetime of being at war with my gender." PHOTO | GETTY IMAGES

What you need to know:

  • Non-binary people are enjoying increased representation on television and in pop culture
  • More and more people are exercising their right to choose the pronoun by which they are identified

The pronoun "they," used by non-binary people who identify as neither male nor female, was named word of the year by US dictionary Merriam-Webster on Tuesday.

In the English language, more and more people are exercising their right to choose the pronoun by which they are identified, regardless of their sex at birth -- such as "they" instead of "she" or "he."

INCREASED REPRESENTATION

Two months ago, the dictionary added the word "they" as a non-binary pronoun that can refer to just one person.

"There's no doubt that its use is established in the English language, which is why it was added to the Merriam-Webster.com dictionary this past September," the website said, adding that searches for "they" jumped 313 percent in a year.

Non-binary people are enjoying increased representation on television and in pop culture. Among them is British artist Sam Smith, who recently revealed a preference for "they/them" pronouns "after a lifetime of being at war with my gender."

Tech giant Apple has added "neutral" emojis that don't distinguish between gender to the latest version of its operating system.