the best new word of 2006

Rarely do I celebrate the advent of new words. They usually have more to do with the hype generated by fifteen-year old pop music fans, or American Idol devotees than anything that has to do with my life. For example, I must have heard the phrase "that's hot" about a quarter-million times before knowing that it had anything to do with Paris Hilton. This doesn't mean I'm old: it just means I'm not stupid.

But I'm for once overjoyed. This is by far the best neologism of 2006 (from Frank Bruni, New York Times Week in Review, "A Buzzsaw of Buzzwords," 12/24):

"And what, on a lighter note, of 'sanctimommy'? It went beyond deft wordplay, vaulting into the realm of social commentary. Self-beatified and eagerly censorious mothers were everywhere, shaming anybody who dared question their noble callings or unimpeachable judgments. This witty tag for them took because they were itching for a takedown."

Takedown indeed. Perhaps my sensitivity to sanctimommies is acute because of my aversion to parentage (see below). But how brilliant: sanctimony + mommy = sanctimommy. Brilliant!