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Queen’s experts help determine Canada’s first Word of the Year

Following a national poll, Canada has named its first-ever Canadian Word of the Year (CWOTY), and Queen’s University experts played a key role in the selection.

The 2025 Canadian Word of the Year is “maplewash”, defined as the deceptive practice of making things appear more Canadian than they actually are. In a close vote, maplewash edged out popular runner-up “elbows up” by a margin of 33.8 per cent% to 31.3 per cent.

The Strathy Language Unit at Queen’s University is part of the national collaboration developing the new Canadian English Dictionary and contributed to the selection of the inaugural Word of the Year.

Queen’s experts available for interviews include:

• Dr. Anastasia Riehl, Director, Strathy Language Unit

• Emma Ferrett, Strathy researcher and PhD student in English

They can speak to:

• Why maplewash resonated so strongly with Canadians in 2025

• How the word evolved from earlier uses to its current meaning

• What the term reveals about Canadian identity, consumer trust, and language change

The earliest citations of maplewash in the Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles date to 2016, originally referring to the uncritical celebration of Canadian identity while overlooking colonial and social issues. In 2025, the term gained renewed prominence as Canadian attitudes toward imported American goods and services shifted, prompting some companies to exaggerate their Canadian connections to appeal to consumers. 

To request an interview:
Julie Brown
Media Relations Manager, Queen’s University
brown.julie@queensu.ca | 343-363-2763