It has been a year of many discoveries, milestones, and breakups. No doubt, there's so much action this 2023. As we wrap up the year, different academic publishing institutions have revealed words that have defined the year that has been a.k.a "Word of the Year."
READ: Gaslighting Is Merriam-Webster's Word Of The Year. Here's How Therapists Define It
Oxford University Press: Word Of The Year
Got the "rizz"? Apparently, 2023 has it, you guys. The Oxford University Press, which is the largest press in the world, hailed "rizz" as 2023's "Word of the Year." Oxford defined it as the "style, charm, or the ability to attract a romantic partner.
Interestingly, "rizz" is believed to be derived from the word "charisma," taking out its middle part, "ris" that colloquially became "rizz." (It's like "fridge" from "refrigerator.") You can use it as a noun and also as a verb.
So, why choose "rizz?" Oxford says the word offered a compelling example of how community-formed language can be widely shared in society. It poses the notion of how well younger generations can create their own spaces, own meanings into the language and actions they use.
Speaking about this year’s campaign and the winner of Oxford Word of the Year 2023, Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages, said:
"Given that last year ‘goblin mode’ resonated with so many of us following the pandemic, it’s interesting to see a contrasting word like rizz come to the forefront, perhaps speaking to a prevailing mood of 2023 where more of us are opening ourselves up after a challenging few years and finding confidence in who we are," President of Oxford Languages Casper Gathwohl stated.
He furthered, "The spike in usage data for rizz goes to prove that words and phrases that evolve from internet culture are increasingly becoming part of day-to-day vernacular and will continue to shape language trends in the future."
While Oxford's in-depth explanation is something we agree with, we have also found one of the culprits for the spread of rizz this year. It's none other than Tom Holland. His June 2023 interview where he stated "he got no rizz" spiked over on social media, creating waves of interest for newly-discovered ~cool~ word back then.
Oxford University Press: Word Of The Year Shortlist 2023
Aside from "rizz," there are other words that encapsulate how the world has coped with this year's success and mischief as well. Here's the list of words which almost made it:
- Swiftie
- De-influencing
- Beige flag
- Heat dome
- Prompt
- Parasocial
- Situationship
Merriam-Webster: Word Of The Year
Of course, Merriam-Webster has its own "Word of the Year," and it's "authentic." While "rizz" comes second for the most distinguished dictionary in the world, they offer a reasonable explanation for it.
The reason? Merriam-Webster translates the word's high-volume search to netizens' curiosity towards artificial intelligence (AI), celebrity culture, identity, and social media.
"Authentic" is defined as "not false or imitation," and "true to one's own personality, spirit, or character." This year, it was highly incorporated with the words, "self," and "voice." Perhaps it's because of the proliferation of "deepfake voices," or it could also be driven by celebrity statements about their "authentic self."
Merriam-Webster: Word Of The Year Shortlist 2023
Merriam-Webster also released other words that defined the year 2023, and yes, "rizz" almost made it to their Top 1 too. Here's Merriam-Webster's shortlist:
- Rizz
- Deepfake
- Coronation
- Dystopian
- EGOT
- X
- Implode
- Doppelgänger
- Covenant
- Indict
- Elemental
- Kibbutz
- Deadname
What do you think should've been 2023's Word Of The Year?
