Word up

Dictionaries, like other reference materials, are getting off the bookshelf and onto your desktop more and more. Here are the top 10 words most commonly looked up in Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary in 2005. The fact that so many people had trouble with the word “integrity” says a lot about the last year. The most looked-up word in 2004 was “blog,” which is sort of understandable. But in 2003, it was “democracy.” How quickly we forget.

1. integrity
2. refugee
3. contempt
4. filibuster
5. insipid
6. tsunami
7. pandemic
8. conclave
9. levee
10. inept