December 3, 2024
Brain rot.
The word of the year according to Oxford University Press.
Why It Matters: “Brain rot” gained popularity in recent months, particularly referencing the overconsumption of low-quality content that can be prevalent online. While it has seen a 230% increase in use between 2023 and 2024 and received the most votes for word of the year from Oxford, “brain rot” can first be traced to the 1854 book Walden by Henry David Thoreau.
The formal definition of “brain rot”: “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. Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration”.
Read More: Oxford Word of the Year (Oxford University Press)
by Stephanie Wagner, based in Florida
