Oxford University Press declares Brain Rot as the Word of the Year 2024

"Brain rot" refers to the perceived deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, often attributed to the overconsumption of trivial or unchallenging content, particularly online (Image: Canva)

It’s that time of the year, when listicles are popular as is looking back and reflecting on the year that went by. Here is another one for your consumption that includes cultural shifts and trends like demure, slop and lore.

The Oxford University Press has for the last two decades looked at and declared the words of the year. According to the OUP website, “Following a public vote in which more than 37,000 people had their say, we’re pleased to announce that the Oxford Word of the Year for 2024 is ‘brain rot’. Our language experts created a shortlist of six words to reflect the moods and conversations that have helped shape the past year. After two weeks of public voting and widespread conversation, our experts came together to consider the public’s input, voting results, and our language data, before declaring ‘brain rot’ as the definitive Word of the Year for 2024.”

"Brain rot" refers to the perceived deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, often attributed to the overconsumption of trivial or unchallenging content, particularly online. The idea is that prolonged exposure to low-quality information can lead to a decline in critical thinking, attention span, and overall cognitive function.

As we spend more time scrolling through endless feeds and consuming bite-sized content, there's a growing concern that we may be sacrificing deeper thought and meaningful engagement.

Other contenders for Word of the Year 2024

Dynamic Pricing: This term refers to the practice of adjusting prices in real-time based on factors like demand, supply, and individual customer behaviour.

Romantasy: A blend of "romance" and "fantasy," this genre has gained popularity, particularly among young adult readers.

Slop: A versatile word that can refer to something messy, careless, or of poor quality. It has been used to describe various aspects of online culture, from low-effort content to sloppy arguments.

Demure: This word, chosen by Dictionary.com as their Word of the Year, has been used ironically to describe a certain online aesthetic and attitude, often characterized by a self-deprecating and overly polite demeanour.

Lore: Often associated with folklore and mythology, "lore" has seen a resurgence in popular culture, particularly in gaming and online communities.

While "brain rot" ultimately emerged as the Word of the Year, the other shortlisted words offer valuable insights into the evolving language and culture of the digital age.

In 2004, the word of the year was chav (a young person of a type characterised by coarse and brash behaviour), followed by 2005 with two words podcast for the US and sudoku for the UK. Over the years other interesting words and trends reflected include locavore, simples and unfriend (2009), selfie (2013), vape (2014), youthquake (2017), goblin mode (2022), and rizz (2023).