If you've followed the crisis in Greece around its third bailout -- well, first, congratulations on making it this far. It's been a tortured few weeks.
Second, you may have seen a lot of weird words flying around that seem to be a combination of "Greece" and any number of other terms: exit, exodus, exhaustion. These portmanteaus have become a signature part of the ongoing Greek debt crisis, a way to blow off steam.
Before you think this is some downmarket trend from people with nothing better to do, note that no one is immune. When European leaders finally reached a deal in the wee hours of Monday after over 15 hours of negotiations, EU president Donald Tusk -- the former prime minister of Poland -- said somewhat deliriously that it was an "agreekment."
@BenChu_ @sundersays pic.twitter.com/SbRJ1WIDE9— Ben Phillips (@benphillips76) July 13, 2015
Yes. That's where we are right now in international geopolitics: "Agreekment." You can almost hear the old kings of Europe shuddering in their marble graves.
There's so many of them now that it's time to have a fun look at some of the best-known, Greece-based terms.
Grexit
The first and still the best, Grexit refers to the scenario in which Greece would exit the European Union and abandon the euro as its currency. Sometimes also referred to as a Grexident (a Greek accidental exit from the EU).
William Buiter, chief economist of the bank Citi, is credited with coining Grexit, which has become the go-to word for people to lazy to type both "Greece" and "exit."
Greferendum
Greeks were asked to vote on Europe's bailout/austerity proposal in a referendum that became knows as the "Greferendum."
The country roundly rejected the proposal, only to see Greece Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras forced into an even harsher deal.
Grexodus
Greece's brutal economy has led to many of its highly skilled and younger workers to leave the country for greener pastures.
Over the past five years Greece has seen an exodus of young, talented, highly-skilled Greeks http://t.co/17Z9kHGtqr pic.twitter.com/xGAJsOLSZd— The Economist (@TheEconomist) July 13, 2015
This kind of thing is not uncommon in struggling countries and is more generically known as a brain drain. For Greece, it's known as the Grexodus.
aGreekment
Coined by European Commission President Donald Tusk and immediately met by groans from the press, aGreekment refers to the deal that had been http://sale-online.click/2015/07/13/greece-bailout-deal/tentatively struck early Monday morning between European heads of state.
The deal still needs approvals from various parliaments including Greece, which will also need to pass a variety of legislation as part of the aGreekment.
Grelief
With an agreement reached, concern about the possible economic fallout from a Grexit had already begun to wane on Monday.
Markets reacted with "Grelief" to the news. European government bonds had returned to earlier levels, and even U.S. stocks seemed to have received a bump. The S&P 500 was almost 1% higher just after the start of trading on Monday morning.
Grelief. Spanish and Italian yield spreads vs Bunds tighten to narrowest in 2 months, both as low as 110 bps.— Jamie McGeever (@ReutersJamie) July 13, 2015
Greviction
This one, from Forbes and Financial Times contributor Frances Coppola, came in response to the harsh demands from Germany. Greviction refers to efforts by other European countries to kick Greece out of the EU.
This isn't a Grexit, it's a Greviction.— Frances Coppola (@Frances_Coppola) July 11, 2015
Grucifixion
This one speaks for itself.
The Times keeps using the term "Greece's creditors" without specifying who they are. #grucifixion http://t.co/IMz4gcyIlK— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) July 13, 2015
Grunicorn
Not everybody is necessarily sure this deal will be finalized. Greece in particular has a lot to do in a short period of time.
The country must pass a series of reforms -- many of which will not be particularly well received in Greece -- by Wednesday. This includes simplifying the country's Value-Added Tax, making spending cuts and the privatization of some state-owned companies.
Those challenges have led some to question if this deal has any chance of becoming a reality. In other words: it might be a Greek unicorn, or a Grunicorn.
Dont get too excited about flowers and GRunicorns - Treasuries looking to move higher. pic.twitter.com/n8uZXYg2yr— James Farro (@JF991) July 13, 2015
Grimbo
Uncertainty in Greece has taken its toll on the country and the rest of Europe.
So, of course, we needed a word for it. We can thank Citi Private Bank for coining "Grimbo" -- the state of limbo that currently exists with respect to Greece.
Grexhausted
A much-needed word to describe people who have covered the Greece crisis or followed the Greece crisis.
Can we stop with the likes of "Grexit", "Grexodus", and "Agreekment". Please. I'm grexhausted.— Graham Thomson (@rossumgrey) July 13, 2015
The rest
There's plenty more, although people seem to be losing focus on the crisis...
After #Greferendum, other possible portmanteau phrases: Grentleman: a Greek gentleman Gregg: a Greek egg Grouch: a Greek expression of pain— Stig Abell (@StigAbell) June 28, 2015