…is actually two terms using three words? According to Dictionary.com, the word of the year is “demure.” According to Oxford, it is “brain rot.” Though both can apply, depending on the situation, they can’t both be the word(s) of the year. Right?
Why don’t you decide? Here is what Dictionary.com says about demure: “The word demure experienced a meteoric rise in usage in 2024. Between January and the end of August, this term saw a nearly 1200% increase in usage in digital web media alone.” This phenomenon is mostly attributable to a TikToker whose videos using the word went viral. What an incredibly “2024” reason!
As for brain rot, Oxford has this to say: “Our experts noticed that brain rot gained new prominence this year as a term used to capture concerns about the impact of consuming excessive amounts of low-quality online content, especially on social media. The term increased in usage frequency by 230% between 2023 and 2024.”
“Demure” has traditionally been used to describe someone reserved, quite, or modest, the new social media usage of it is to describe a refined or sophisticated appearance. “Brain rot” is pretty self-explanatory, but defined as “the supposed deterioration of a person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (particularly online).”
Both of those definitions check out and I can see why they would be chosen as the Word of the Year for 2024, given what we all went through this year! Now, take your pick. Which should be the real Word of the Year for 2024? Or, suggest your own!