Babbel ranks Maori word “kaitiakitanga” top, Turkish “yakamoz” in top 15

Babbel conducted an international study of 223 words from 75 languages, evaluating phonetic appeal, meaning, cultural depth and originality. An anonymous jury scored the entries in multiple rounds, producing a final shortlist of fifteen words. The Maori term “kaitiakitanga”, meaning guardianship of the Earth for future generations, received the highest overall rating. The Turkish word “yakamoz”, describing the bioluminescent glow on water under moonlight, secured a place among the fifteen most beautiful words worldwide. The study highlights how language reflects cultural values, with the winning Maori word emphasizing environmental stewardship and the Turkish entry praised for its poetic visual imagery.