The 2014 word of the year, according to Oxford English Dictionary, is “Vape.” According to the Oxford Dictionaries blog:
So, what does vape mean? It originated as an abbreviation of vapour or vaporize. TheOxfordDictionaries.com definition was added in August 2014: the verb means ‘to inhale and exhale the vapour produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device’, while both the device and the action can also be known as a vape. The associated noun vaping is also listed.
As with just about any cultural trend, the trademark register reflects the culture. So in 2014 there have been more than 275 applications filed with the USPTOfor trademarks that feature “vape” or “vaping”. For all years prior to 2014, the cumulative number of USPTO filings with those words was 212.
The first US “vape” trademark application appears to have come in 2010 for VIVA LA VAPE.
Here are some of the most interesting VAPE-themed filings at the USPTO [click marks for USPTO records]:
