The Collins Dictionary has chosen “brat” as its Word of the Year for 2024, a term that gained popularity thanks to singer Charli XCX.
Originally used to describe a child behaving poorly, “brat” now means having a bold and independent attitude, often seen as fun and self-assured. This new meaning became so widespread that social media buzzed with the idea of a “brat summer,” leading “brat” to become one of the most talked-about words of the year.
According to Alex Beecroft, Collins’ managing director, this year’s list reflects the influence of younger generations, especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Other words that made the list include “era,” a term inspired by Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which describes a distinctive phase in someone’s life or career.
Two more trendy terms on the list are “delulu,” short for delusional, describing someone with overly unrealistic expectations, and “yapping,” which means to talk endlessly about unimportant topics. The inclusion of these words shows how language continues to evolve with pop culture, capturing the trends and expressions popularised by young people in 2024.
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