The word "hostages" was voted as the word of the year by thousands among the Israeli public, the Academy of the Hebrew Language announced on Tuesday, the day marking Hebrew Language Day.
According to the academy, the word hostages received 45% of votes, while the word "bravery" came in second, garnering 11% of votes.
The voters' third choice, with 10% of votes, was the phrase "approved for publication."
"This year, marked by the hardest and longest war in our history, was also a year when we often felt at a loss for words," the academy noted.
"Yet, throughout the year, certain words stood out, reflecting our reality: the pain, sorrow, and anger on the one hand, and the pride, resilience, and gratitude toward those who risked their lives on the other. The words chosen for the top spots represent this complex spectrum."
Previous words of the year
In previous years, the words that topped the chart were "swab" in 2020-2021, "madness" in 2021-2022, and "sinkhole" in 2022-2023.
Hebrew Language Day falls on the 21st of Tevet, the birthday of Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the revivor of modern Hebrew.