Unperson
An unperson is a person who has been "vaporized"; who has not only been killed by the state, but effectively erased from existence. Such a person would be written out of existing books, photographs, and articles so that no trace of their existence could be found in the historical record. The idea is that such a person would, according to the principles of doublethink, be forgotten completely (for it would be impossible to provide evidence of their existence), even by close friends and family members. Mentioning his or her name, or even speaking of their past existence, is thoughtcrime; the concept that the person may have existed at one time and has disappeared cannot be expressed in Newspeak. Compare to the Stalinist practice of erasing people from photographs after their execution (see photos, right).
In his 1960 magazine article "Pravda means 'Truth'", reprinted in Expanded Universe, Robert A. Heinlein argued that a supposed cosmonaut who mysteriously disappeared on 15 May 1960 had also received this treatment. The BBC has described journalist Melissa Chan as having become an "unperson" in China, after her expulsion from the country.
Read more about this topic: List Of Newspeak Words