Dictionary.com has announced that “67” is its newest Word of the Year. This year, teachers and parents have been left confused by kids and teenagers using the term “67,” pronounced “six-seven,” not to be mistaken for “sixty-seven.” The dictionary shared that some have considered it a synonym for “so-so,” “maybe this,” or “maybe that.” The newest word of the year has been traced to Skrilla’s viral 2024 song “Doot Doot (6 7).” Others connect it to the popular 6-foot-7-inch NBA player and social media sensation LaMelo Ball. Earlier this year, “The 67 Kid” went viral for shouting “67” as he celebrated at a basketball game. Many have used the term “brain rot” to describe the viral trend, which is “the deterioration of one’s mental or intellectual state as a result of over-consuming trivial or unchallenging content,” according to Oxford Press. The annual pick gives recognition to the “brain rot” popular among kids and teenagers. Dictionary.com explains the comical appeal of the term is it’s “purposefully nonsensical and all about being in on the absurdity.” “It’s part inside joke, part social signal, and part performance,” said Steve Johnson, Ph.D., of the Dictionary Media Group.
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