The Oxford University has chosen the word of the year by public vote, and it is "brain rot", the Oxford University Press said in a statement.
The concept of brain rot (literally "brain decay") is a slang term that the Oxford Dictionary defines as "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."
The competition page says that the first recorded use of the word was in 1854 in Henry David Thoreau's book Walden; or, Life in the Woods. It is noted that over the year (from 2023 to 2024), the frequency of use of the expression increased by 230% — the word is used to express concern about the consequences of excessive consumption of low-quality online content, especially on social networks.
In 2023, the Oxford English Dictionary chose the word of the year for the first time through a public vote, it was the slang expression "goblin mode." The dictionary defines goblin mode as "a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations."