At this time of year, I know that there is a lot to look forward to like gathering with loved ones, all the different variations of cheese and of course, the present-swapping.
However, for me, it’s the end of year lists, TV shows and announcements. Big Fat Quiz of the Year is in my top telly events every year and my Spotify Wrapped is easily the best way to analyse the year I just had.
As a writer, though, my real soft spot is for the Word of the Year announcements. Seeing how language is introduced, evolves and re-emergences into society is just such a treat.
So, with no further ado…
Dictionary.com’s mindful word of the year for 2024
This year, Dictionary.com has chosen the word ‘demure’ as their word of the year. Very fitting.
The popularity of this word comes from a TikTok trend (of course) this year where Jools Lebron, whose account had over a million followers, racked up eight times that amount of views for a single video.
“You see how I do my makeup for work?” the creator asked in the viral clip.
“Very demure, very mindful. I don’t come to work with a green cut crease… I don’t do too much. I’m very mindful,” she satirically quipped.
In a statement on their website, Dictionary.com said: “Though the term demure has traditionally been used to describe those who are reserved, quiet, or modest, a new usage has spread through social media — one used to describe refined and sophisticated appearance or behaviour in various contexts, such as at work or on a plane.
“This increased focus on public appearance and behaviour comes at a time when employees are increasingly returning to offices after hybrid remote work following the pandemic.”
The language experts also revealed that at the peak of the trend, demure had 200 times more searches on Dictionary.com than it did on dates preceding August.
You see how we seamlessly add memes to our vernacular? Very demure, very mindful.
