#Straya: Macquarie Dictionary Announces 'Captain's Call' As Word Of The Year

In November of 2015, the world collectively said ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ to Oxford Dictionaries' declaration that the word of the year was in fact the emoji for tears of joy.

Leave it to ‘Straya’s own Macquarie Dictionary to share with the world a much better word of the year: Captain’s Call.

Yes, it’s two words, but it’s fair to say that two words is closer to one word than an emoji ever could be.

The phrase came into prominence last Australia Day, when it was revealed that then-Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s decision to offer a Knighthood to Prince Phillip was, indeed, a ‘captain’s call’.

Here’s how Macquarie defines it:

"noun - a decision made by a political or business leader without consultation with colleagues."

"Captain’s call perfectly encapsulates what happened in Australia over the past year," the dictionary continues.

"There has been an interesting change in usage; an infrequent item of the jargon of cricket makes the leap into politics and is now being used generally with an ironic tinge to it that is very Australian."

The dictionary also revealed that ‘captain’s call’ trumped 2015 word of the year contenders ‘lumbersexual’ (“an urban male who wishes to associate himself by his appearance with a rugged outdoors way of life”) and ‘deso’ (basically, a designated driver).

May your upcoming Australia Day be filled with lumbersexuals and desos!