blog

Not the "most beautiful", but the most "sought out".

Extract from:

'Blog' Most Popular Word on Web Dictionary
Chicago Tribune, December 1, 2004

"Blog" began appearing in newspapers and magazines in 1999, according to the publisher's records. Merriam's lexicographers suspect the prominence blogs attained during the presidential campaigns and conventions this year sent people scrambling for a definition.

"It does sometimes happen that words in the headlines so grab people's attention that they become a most-frequently-looked-up word," said John M. Morse, president and publisher of Springfield-based Merriam-Webster.

Right behind "blog" in popularity on Merriam's year-end list were "incumbent" and "electoral." Other words on the list touched on the war in Iraq, storms, bicycle races and even the emergence of insects on a 17-year cycle: In fourth place was "insurgent," followed by "hurricane," "cicada" and "peloton". The eighth and ninth spots were taken by "partisan" and "sovereignty."

For full story, go to:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/sns-ap-dictionary-top-words,1,2657596.story?coll=chi-news-hed

"peloton" ??? [7th position]

Aha! Not an insect invasion, but the Tour de France.

Main Entry: peloton
Definition: in cycling, a densely packed group of riders who stay together for mutual advantage
Etymology: French `ball, heap'

http://www.capture-the-peloton.com/