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Oxford defines brain rot as “the supposed deterioration of a
person’s mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the
result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online
content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging.”
The word of the year is intended to be “a word or expression
that reflects a defining theme from the past 12 months.”
“Brain rot” was chosen by a combination of public vote and
language analysis by Oxford lexicographers. It beat five other
finalists: demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore.
While it may seem a modern phenomenon, the first recorded use of
“brain rot” was by Henry David Thoreau in his 1854 ode to the
natural world, “Walden.”
Oxford Languages President Casper Grathwohl said that in its
modern sense, “’brain rot’ speaks to one of the perceived
dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time.”
“It feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural
conversation about humanity and technology. It’s not surprising
that so many voters embraced the term, endorsing it as our
choice this year,” he said.
Last year’s Oxford word of the year was “rizz,” a riff on
charisma, used to describe someone’s ability to attract or
seduce another person.
Collins Dictionary’s 2024 word of the year is “brat” – the album
title that became a summer-living ideal.
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