This word just in (sorry) from the New Oxford American Dictionary, who seem to have made the first such annoucement this year. Last year it was Merriam-Webster Online who got all the press for picking “blog” as their 2004 Word of the Year.

This year’s story is the especially poignant tale of a little portmanteau word that attracted some notice from the NOAD folks in 2004, but wasn’t quite ready to be thrust into the harsh lexicographical glare radiating from flat-panel monitors around the world. Yet like the little engine that could, “podcast” thought it could until it knew it could, and 2005 saw its triumph over such intimidating contenders as “IED” (improvised explosive device), “squick” (you could look it up), and “persistent vegetative state.” First runner up was “bird flu,” and the second runner up award went to “rootkit,” which is of course what “Dance to the Malware” Sony/BMG will be voguing to for some time to come.

Thanks to Anand for the heads-up on this story.