Strollout: Australia's vaccine rollout inspires Australian National Dictionary Centre's 2021 word of the year

Strollout, the slow implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program, was chosen from a long list of words and phrases used in a year where the virus dominated discussion.

Each year the centre selects a word or expression which gained prominence in the Australian landscape.

Director Dr Amanda Laugesen said it was inevitably words related to the vaccine rollout would be in the running this year.

"The Australian term strollout captured this mood," she said.

"It's also captured a very particular moment in our nation's history. The pandemic has had a profound impact on our society and lives."

The term even made its way into international publications like The Washington Post.

The full 2021 shortlist included:

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Dr Laugeson said these became part of Australians' everyday language this year.

"As the Delta strain of COVID-19 spread around Australia the urgency of vaccinating the population became clear, with words like vaccination hubs, vaccine hesitancy, vaccine passports, vaccine rollout, and double-vaxxed gaining prominence," she said.

Last year's winner was Iso.

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