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Oxford Selects “Brain Rot” as Word of the Year for 2024
In a notable reflection of modern culture, the Oxford Dictionaries has officially declared “brain rot” as the Word of the Year for 2024. This development comes after the phrase gained remarkable popularity, with its usage surging by 230% compared to the previous year.
According to Oxford University Press, “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—primarily online content—that is deemed trivial or unchallenging.”
And the official 2024 Oxford Word of the Year is… Brain rot #OxfordWOTY pic.twitter.com/ePgpL28p9H
— Oxford University Press (@OxUniPress) December 2, 2024
The selection process for the Word of the Year involved both public voting and careful analysis by Oxford’s language experts. “Brain rot” was selected over five strong finalists: demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy, and lore.
Interestingly, the term is not entirely new; its origins can be traced back to Henry David Thoreau, who used it in his 1854 work “Walden,” a contemplation on nature and simple living.
Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, emphasized that in today’s context, “‘brain rot’ highlights one of the perceived risks associated with our digital lives and how we choose to spend our leisure time.” He added, “This term signifies an important chapter in the ongoing dialogue about the intersection of humanity and technology. Therefore, it is not unexpected that many people resonated with this term and supported its selection.”
For comparison, the previous year’s Oxford Word of the Year was “rizz,” a term associated with charisma and one’s ability to attract romantic interest.
In a similar vein, Collins Dictionary has also announced its Word of the Year for 2024 as “brat,” taken from a popular album title that encapsulated the essence of summer living.
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