Language experts have chosen the “English Word of the Year”, and this year it is the word “influencer“.

Influencer comes from the English word influence, which means “the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone or something” (source: Dictionary.com). So a person that influences is called “an influencer”.

What does an influencer do?

Younger people, who are particularly well-known in the social media, for example on Twitter or Instagram or YouTube, become role models for other people with their social media activity i.e. they influence the opinions of other people. That is why they are called “influencers”.

By the way, in English, the word “influencer” has existed for more than 300 years. It was used for people with a lot of power, for example, in politics or in religion.