'Brain rot' chosen as 2024 Oxford word of the year - but what does it mean?

'Brain rot' has been chosen as the Oxford 2024 word of the year. 

The word was picked after 37,000 votes, worldwide public discussion and expert analysis, Oxford University Press, the publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary, said.

Words picked by the publisher in previous years include rizz and goblin mode.

What does 'brain rot' mean?

'Brain rot', according to Oxford University Press, is the "supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as a result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging."

It is also used to describe something characterised as likely to lead to such deterioration.

The first recorded use of 'brain rot' was found in the 1854 book Walden by American philosopher Henry David Thoreau, but it has taken on a new meaning in recent years.

The Oxford University Press found usage of the term increased by 230% between 2023 and 2024, particularly as a way to express concern about the impact of consuming excessive amounts of low-quality content online and on social media.

On TikTok alone, #brainrot has been used over half a million times, with many of the videos containing nonsensical content.

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Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, said: "'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."