Complicit declared word of the year after SNL Ivanka skit

Ivanka Trump managed to spearhead at least one education initiative during her first year in Washington DC.

Dictionary.com announced over the weekend that ‘complicit’ was the word of the year, crediting the First Daughter’s decision to take a role in her father’s administration as a key reason for the surge in searches.

The number of individuals looking up the definition of the word increased over 300 percent this year according to the website, with the first spike coming back in March.

That was thanks to a Saturday Night Live skit in which Scarlett Johansson mocked Ivanka in a fake fragrance ad for a perfume called ‘Complicit.’

The next surge came the following month, when Ivanka herself sat down with Gayle King on CBS This Morning in her first interview after accepting a position in the White House.

Complicit, an adjective, is defined as ‘choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, especially with others; having complicity.’

 

Uptick: Searches for the definition of the adjective surged 300 percent this year, starting with Scarlett Johansson’s appearance on Saturday Night Live (above)

Driving search: There was another surge less than a month later when Gayle King interviewed Ivanka and asked what her response was to attacks calling her 'complicit' (above)

Driving search: There was another surge less than a month later when Gayle King interviewed Ivanka and asked what her response was to attacks calling her ‘complicit’ (above)

King used her interview with Ivanka to ask her point blank what her response was to critics who said that she and husband Jared Kushner were complicit in her father’s political agenda.

‘If being complicit is wanting to be a force for good and to make a positive impact, then I’m complicit,’ said Ivanka. 

‘I don’t know that the critics who may say that of me, if they found themselves in this very unique and unprecedented situation that I am now in, would do any differently than I’m doing. So I hope to make a positive impact.’

She went on to state: ‘I don’t know what it means to be complicit, but, you know, I hope time will prove that I have done a good job and, much more importantly, that my father’s administration is the success that I know it will be.’

King also alluded to the SNL skit in that interview, which showed Johansson as Ivanka walking into a gala event in a gold-sequinned dress.

A voice over can be heard describing Ivanka, who is referred to as ‘complicit’ multiple times during the skit.

Each time the word ‘complicit’ is said, the perfume bottle or logo appears on the screen.

The parody ends by stating: ‘Complicit: the fragrance for the woman who could stop all of this, but won’t. Also available in a cologne for Jared.’ 

Parody: Johansson appeared as Ivanka Trump in a fake fragrance ad for a scent called 'Complicit,' mocking the first daughter's role in her father's administration

Parody: Johansson appeared as Ivanka Trump in a fake fragrance ad for a scent called ‘Complicit,’ mocking the first daughter’s role in her father’s administration

The interference by Russians in the presidential election and recent wave of sexual assault and harassment allegations against Hollywood heavyweights like Harvey Weinstein also played a big role in the surge of searches according to the website.

A third surge in searches happened just last month, when Jeff Flake of Arizona stated on the floor of the Senate that he would not seek reelection and urged his constituents to not stand idly by and allow for what he saw as President Trump’s miscarriages of justice.

‘I have children and grandchildren to answer to, and so, Mr. President, I will not be complicit,’ declared Flake. 

The other words in contention for the annual honor which fell just short included ‘intersex,’ ‘shrinkage,’ ‘tarnation,’ ‘horologist’ and ‘totality.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk