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Oxford University's Word of the Year 'Noe Sseogeum'
Means 'Intellectual decline due to excessive consumption of trivial information'
First appeared in literature in 1854 in Thoreau's book 'Walden'

Every year, the Oxford Dictionary selects the 'Word of the Year,' and this time it chose 'brain rot.'

On the 1st (local time), British daily The Guardian and others reported that the Oxford University Press in the UK announced this year's word. The term 'brain rot' refers to the deterioration of a person's intellectual and mental state due to the excessive consumption of trivial or insignificant material. The university press publishes the Oxford English Dictionary, one of the most representative dictionaries in the English-speaking world.

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The Oxford University Press explained that this word was used "to express concerns about the harmful effects caused by the excessive consumption of low-quality online content, especially on social networking services (SNS)," and said it "emerged prominently in 2024." It also noted that the selection of 'brain rot' as the Word of the Year reflects the current situation where trivial information that deteriorates mental and intellectual states is overflowing online, including on SNS.

Although this word has recently gained attention, it is not a neologism. The Guardian revealed that the first recorded use of the term was in the classic work 'Walden' by American naturalist Henry David Thoreau, published in 1854. 'Walden' is a book in which Thoreau, who emphasized self-sufficiency, recorded his time living alone by Walden Pond, away from civilized society.

Casper Grasswell, chairman of Oxford Languages, which publishes the Oxford Dictionary, said, "'Brain rot' is a word related to the dangers of the virtual world and how we use our leisure time," adding, "It is a timely topic to address in cultural conversations about humans and technology." He also added, "It is also interesting that this word is mainly used by Generation Z (ages 15?29) and Generation Alpha (14 and under), who bear significant responsibility for the use and creation of digital content."

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The candidates for Oxford's Word of the Year included six words in total, such as 'demure,' translated as 'quiet' or 'modest'; 'dynamic pricing,' meaning the real-time adjustment of prices for products or services; and 'romantasy,' a literary genre combining romance novels and fantasy novels. These six words were selected after discussions among four experts, including linguists, and then Oxford University Press finalized the word through a public vote involving about 37,000 participants and official discussions.

Last year, the Word of the Year was 'rizz,' derived from 'charisma,' meaning 'the charm that captivates people,' popular among young people. In 2022, the neologism 'Goblin mode,' meaning 'a shameless attitude rejecting social norms,' was chosen, and in 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, 'vax,' meaning vaccination, was selected as Oxford's Word of the Year.

Meanwhile, the Cambridge Dictionary selected 'manifest' as its Word of the Year for 2024. This word means imagining that what you want will actually come true. Additionally, the online dictionary Dictionary.com chose 'demure' (quiet, modest), and the Collins Dictionary selected 'brat' as its Word of the Year, a term that changed meaning from 'rascal' to a positive sense of 'cool' or 'stylish' among young people, inspired by British pop star Charlie XCX's album.