WASHINGTON — A word with humble beginnings saw a meteoric rise in 2024, as Dictionary.com crowned “demure” its Word of the Year on Monday, a 1,200% increase in usage since January.
The term beat out other contenders such as “brat,” “weird,” and “brainrot.”
The surge in “demure” popularity is tied to TikTok creator Jools Lebron, whose viral video series coined the phrase “very demure, very mindful.” One of her posts, humorously contrasting professional and casual approaches to job interviews, amassed over 12.2 million plays.
Traditionally, describing someone who is reserved, quiet, or modest, “demure” has taken on a modern twist on social media, where it is used to refer to “refined and sophisticated” appearances or behavior.
Lexicographers analyzed social trends, headlines, and search engine data to compile the shortlist of impactful words. Earlier this month, Collins Dictionary declared “brat” its Word of the Year, a nod to Charli XCX’s sixth album.
Dictionary.com’s 2023 Word of the Year was “hallucinate.”
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