'Single-use' singled out as Collins Dictionary word of the year

Widespread concern about environmental degradation caused by discarded plastics has led the United Kingdom's Collins Dictionary to name "single-use" as its English-language word of the year for 2018.

It beat "MeToo" and "whitewash" to first place in the top 10 list released on Wednesday. Collins said each word "reflects an ever-evolving culture and the preoccupations of those who use it".

Collins said "single-use", which describes one-use-only items "whose unchecked proliferation are blamed for damaging the environment and affecting the food chain", has undergone a four-fold increase in usage since 2013.