perceptual industry
n.— «Spin is not just a technique. It is not just a political phenomenon. It permeates our culture and our daily life. And it’s an industry—almost a sector of the economy. That one day’s stories quoted lobbyists, public relations specialists and professional “damage control” experts. If computers and communications go by the acronym “IT,” for information technology, the perceptual industry might be “MT,” for misinformation technology.» —“Life in the Spin Cycle” by Michael Kinsley Washington Post Mar. 6, 2005. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Cat hair may be something you brush off, but cat hair is also a slang term that means “money.” In the same way, cat beer isn’t alcoholic — some people use cat beer as a joking term for “milk.” And imagine walking on a...
Have you ever googled your own name and found someone else who goes by the very same moniker? There’s a word for that: googleganger. Plus, the language of hobbyists and enthusiasts: If you’re a beekeeper, perhaps you call yourself a...