'Austerity' is Most Searched Word in Dictionary for 2010

"Austerity" turned out to be the word most searched for in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary in 2010. The term means having "enforced or extreme economy." And it's the opposite of that very popular pre-recession term "indulgence." Not too far behind "austerity" in dictionary searches, reports the New York Post, were: "pragmatic," "socialism," and "moratorium" (as in perhaps one on spending).

But softer language might re-enter popular culture in 2011. There are signs, of recovery -- honestly! For example, many companies have been beefing up their recruitment staff. Sodexo USA has hired three new recruiters and has openings for two more, notes The Wall Street Journal.

Bonuses too seem to be making a comeback. According to an article on BigLaw, it seems that at some law firms they've started hearing complaints that the bonuses that associates are expected to receive for 2010 are not as large as the bonuses at some other firms. This kind of complaint would have been rare to hear just a year or two ago, when bonuses were hard to come by.

Forbes, which has its finger on the pulse of global capitalism, does spend some time covering the world of high-end cars. It seems that these days you can get away with paying just $285,000 for the base model of the Bentley Mulsanne. Imagine that!

The reality is that some of us are doing well financially. Maybe you never did fall off the cliff. Or maybe, by now, you've just got the hang of doing business in a recessional economy. We'd love to hear you tell AOL Jobs whether you're optimistic about what the economy will do in 2011.