buzzword

An informal term for a fashionable word or phrase (often a neologism) that is used more to impress than to inform. See also:

• Jargon
• Slogan

Etymology:

From the Middle English, of imitative origin ("buzz"), plus Old English, "word"



Examples and Observations:

• "Leverage is a word heard frequently during the current financial crisis. It means borrowing heavily to maximize investment returns. The problem is that leverage was used to invest in mortgages that went bad. The new buzzword in the financial world is deleverage."
  (Chris Arnold, "Financial Sectors' New Buzzword Is Deleverage," Morning Edition, NPR, Sep. 19, 2008)



• "Oh, 'meltdown.' It's one of those annoying buzzwords. We prefer to call it an 'unrequested fission surplus.'"
  (Mr. Burns, The Simpsons)



• "Office jargon has become so prevalent in the UK, people are using phrases and happily admitting they have no idea what they are talking about. A new survey by Office Angles found 65% of those who attend daily meetings frequently encountered business jargon.
  
  "It has even spurned a new boardroom pastime--buzzword bingo, in which employees gleefully tick off corporate-speak used by their bosses."
  ("Buzzword Bingo: Coining the Lingo," BBC News, Feb. 15, 2000)



• "Every decade seems to have its particular buzz words that roar through the culture and become mantras in media, business and political lexicons, then disappear after few years like Boy George. Topping the business charts in the 1970 was the very buzzy 'Management by Objective'--MBO. CEOs and Governors twitched with excitement over it. And remember 'synergism,' in the 1980s? It sounded vaguely sexual. America was going through one of its frequent merger cycles and 'synergy' was the yellow brick road. That is, until 'vertical integration' came along."
  (Tom Alderman, "The Best Buzzwords of the Year," The Huffington Post, Sep. 25, 2008)