“Looking back at Oxford Word of the Year over the last two decades, you can see society’s growing preoccupation with how our virtual lives are evolving, the way internet culture is permeating so much of who we are and what we talk about,” Grathwohl said.

This year's Word of the Year could also be a word of warning. The term “brain rot” tops the list for 2024, according to the publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary, reflecting growing concerns about the impact of over-consuming large amounts of online content,