Sorry Swifties, Rizz is the Oxford Word of the Year

Feeling a bit "rizz" today? If you're adept at charming your way into someone's heart, you might already have it in abundance, and guess what? Oxford agrees!

The internet slang rizz has been crowned the Oxford Word of the Year, and it's not just about having a cool vibe but also encompasses romantic or flirtatious appeal.

What

• Oxford University Press, the group behind the Oxford English Dictionary, has declared rizz as the Word of the Year for 2023.
• This term, popular among Gen Z (or perhaps even Gen Alpha), refers to style, charm, or attractiveness, specifically the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.
• It competed against words like "situationship" and "Swiftie."
• "Rizz" gained attention after actor Tom Holland mentioned having "limited rizz" in a Buzzfeed interview.

It's not just a noun; you can use it as a verb too, like "to rizz up," meaning to attract or chat someone up.

According to BBC Oxford's president, Casper Grathwohl, the choice reflects the rapid influence of social media on language evolution and, of course, the undeniable presence of "rizz."

Last year's word of the year was "goblin mode," describing unapologetically self-indulgent behavior. This year, "rizz" won, showcasing how internet culture words are becoming part of our daily language.

Social media had (and still has) a plethora of rizz memes trending throughout.

The word was chosen based on usage evidence from over 22 billion words in English-language news sources.

The public had a say in the selection process, narrowing down the shortlist in a vote, making the word of the year selection a bit of a linguistic reality show.

Recently, the Merriam-Webster dictionary disclosed some of the most searched words of 2023 on November 27, Monday. The top-searched words include 'Deepfake,' 'Deadname,' 'Rizz,' 'coronation,' and others.

However, the word 'authentic' claimed the title of the Word of the Year for 2023.

So, if you're looking to up your rizz game, keep your vocabulary at par with Gen Z lingo.