OXFORD, ENGLAND — Better luck next time, Swifties. The word “rizz” has been named Oxford University Press’ Word of the Year, edging out three other finalists to claim the honour on Monday (Dec 4).

The other contenders were “Swiftie” (a fervent fan of American pop star Taylor Swift), “situationship” (an informal romantic or sexual relationship) and “prompt” (an instruction for an artificial intelligence programme).

Derived from the word “charisma”, “rizz” is a term popularised by Generation Z (those born after 1997) and can be defined as “style, charm, or attractiveness” or the “ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner”, the publisher of the Oxford English Dictionary said.

It can also be used as a verb, for example, "I rizzed her when we first met at the bar", meaning to attract, charm or chat up someone.

YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat, who has more than eight million followers, is widely credited for coining the term last year.

Its use has since spread like wildfire on social media platforms, amassing close to 36 billion views on TikTok alone.

Hollywood actor Tom Holland, star of the Spider-Man action movies, also went viral in June for using the word in an interview with digital news site Buzzfeed, when he was talking about his relationship with his Spider-Man co-star Zendaya.

“I have no rizz whatsoever. I have limited rizz,” he stated humorously, adding that he eventually managed to win over his girlfriend by playing the “long game”.

THE SELECTION PROCESS

Oxford University Press said that a shortlist of eight words — each chosen to reflect the prevailing mood, ethos or preoccupations of 2023 — was initially curated by its language experts.

More than 30,000 language lovers around the world helped to narrow down the list through a public vote in late November. After that, the baton was passed back to Oxford's lexicographers to make the final decision.

Speaking about this year’s winner, Mr Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, said in a press statement: “Rizz is a term that has boomed on social media and speaks to how language that enjoys intense popularity and currency within particular social communities — and even in some cases lose their popularity and become passe — can bleed into the mainstream.

“The spike in usage data for rizz goes to prove that words and phrases that evolve from internet culture are increasingly becoming part of day-to-day vernacular and will continue to shape language trends in the future.”

THE INTERNET REACTS

Reactions from online users following the news have been mixed, revealing a distinct generational divide in opinions regarding language evolution and the recognition of slang terms.

Some people criticised the choice of the word “rizz”, expressing disbelief or disdain for its selection and what they perceived to be a decline in the English language.

A Facebook user wrote: “Charisma doesn't contain the word 'rizz'. This is a strange warping of the English language and the fact that it was chosen as word of the year is even more perplexing.”

Another Facebook user commented: “A Gen Z slang term is not a word. It's just laziness on (Oxford’s) part.”

Someone on X (formerly Twitter) said: “You animals are destroying language, turning us into beasts.”

Many others, notably those older than Gen Zers, claimed that they had never heard of the word before.

Gen Zers, surprisingly, did not seem too excited about the news.

While some characterised it as a “win”, several others expressed surprise and even disappointment at the choice.

One popular comment with 13,300 likes on TikTok read: “Rizz beat parasocial?”

Some online users, however, pointed out that language continually changes over time and that its evolution across generations should be embraced. 

A Facebook user said: “It's crazy to see people my age get so up in arms about new slang when we definitely had our own slang that older people complained about.”

A user on online forum Reddit quipped: “I love the word 'rizz', I'm not gonna front (pretend). It's fun and effervescent and doesn't hold the same weight as charisma. Let the kids have fun!”