The dictionaries have announced their words of the year for various categories. This year’s winners include manifest from Cambridge Dictionary, brat from Collins English Dictionary, and brain rot from Oxford University Press. The term brain rot has gained significant traction on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, particularly among Gen Z and Gen Alpha communities.
Dictionary Words of the Year
Overview
The dictionaries have announced their words of the year for various categories. This section provides a summary of the key points from each article.
Cambridge Dictionary Word of the Year: Manifest
This change comes from a global wellness trend endorsed by celebrities like Dua Lipa. She said she manifested her headline slot at Glastonbury.
Collins English Dictionary Word of the Year: Brat
Collins English Dictionary announced that its word of the year was brat, which refers to someone with a “confident, independent and hedonistic attitude.” It started as the name of Charli XCX’s viral album but has grown into a cultural movement for some people.
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Oxford University Press – publishers of the Oxford English Dictionary – also have a word of the year.
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Last month, Cambridge Dictionary announced that manifest was its winner.
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The traditional definition of manifest included the adjective “easily noticed or obvious” and the noun “to show something clearly through signs or actions.”
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It now includes “to manifest” in the sense of “to imagine achieving something you want, in the belief doing so will make it more likely to happen.”
Brain Rot
The word “brain rot” has gained traction on social media among Gen Z and Gen Alpha communities. However, Prof Przybylski says there’s no evidence that brain rot is a real thing.
Instead, it describes our dissatisfaction with the online world and can be used to bundle anxieties around social media.
Dictionary.com Word of the Year: Demure
Demure took off in August after content creator Jools Lebron posted on TikTok about her demure work outfit and mindful make-up. The “very demure, very mindful” trend pokes fun at stereotypical ideas of femininity.
Related Topics
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Social media
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TikTok
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Culture
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Language
Oxford University Press Word of the Year: Brain Rot
Definition and Origins
Brain rot is defined as the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material considered to be trivial or unchallenging. The first recorded use of brain rot dates back to 1854, when it was written down by Henry David Thoreau in his book Walden.
Rise in Popularity
The term gained significant traction on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, particularly among Gen Z and Gen Alpha communities. Its usage saw an increase of 230% from 2023 to 2024, according to Oxford University Press.
Concerns and Implications
Brain rot captures concerns about the impact of consuming excessive amounts of low-quality online content on mental health and intellectual well-being. Psychologist and Oxford University Professor Andrew Przybylski views its popularity as a “symptom of the time we’re living in,” highlighting society’s growing preoccupation with how our virtual lives are evolving.
Comparison to Other Words
Brain rot beat five other phrases or words on the dictionary publisher’s shortlist, including demure, Romantasy, dynamic pricing, manifest, and brat. Each of these terms reflects a distinct aspect of online culture and language evolution.
Related Trends
Rizz: Oxford University Press’s 2023 Word of the Year
Rizz was an interesting example of how language is increasingly formed, shaped, and shared within online communities.
