Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Merriam-Webster dictionary' announced "they" as its 2019 Word of the Year, reflecting its use as a singular personal pronoun by people whose gender identity is non-binary.
The dictionary said lookups for "they" in 2019 increased by 313 percent over the previous year, spurred by prominent news stories about the topic. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., announced her child is gender-non-conforming and uses "they" as their personal pronoun, singer Sam Smith also revealed their preference for "they" and "them" as pronouns, and the American Psychological Association officially recommended singular "they" be used instead of writing "he or she" when referencing a person whose gender is unknown.