AKIPRESS.COM - The Oxford English Dictionary has named "brain rot" as the word of the year. 

It was chosen during a public vote in which more than 37,000 people had their say.

Oxford 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, experts came together to consider the public’s input, voting results, before declaring ‘brain rot’ as the definitive Word of the Year for 2024, Oxford University Press said.

‘Brain rot’ is defined 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. Also: something characterized as likely to lead to such deterioration”. The word was first used in 1854 by Henry David Thoreau in his book Walden. Between 2023 and 2024, its frequency of mention increased by 230%. The Oxford Dictionary noted that this indicates a growing concern about the consequences of excessive consumption of online content.

Last year's word of the year was the slang term "goblin mode," which refers to behavior based on absolute self-indulgence, usually associated with a refusal to accept societal norms and expectations.