You can thank Charli XCX for Collins 2024 Word of the Year

Every year, Collins reveals what it regards as the Word of the Year. This isn't an educated and upper-class event, as it may sound, where terms most folk will never use in daily conversation, like effervescence or ebullience, are celebrated. Rather this is a way for Collins to look at some of the more modern and fresh words that youth around the world are making popular, all before picking one that encapsulates the year that was and that has had a bigger impact than the rest.

For 2024, some absolute corkers have made the cut. Brainrot, brat, era, looksmaxxing, rawdogging, anti-tourism, delulu, romantasy, supermajority, and yapping were the words that were up for contention for the award, and seemingly following a summer defined by musician Charli XCX, Collins has decided that 2024's Word of the Year is none other than... brat.

For those unclear of what brat actually means, Collins' official description adds: "adjective, characterised by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude".

Collins also went a little further to explain its choice, stating: "Inspired by the Charli XCX album, 'brat' has become one of the most talked about words of 2024. More than a hugely successful album, 'brat' is a cultural phenomenon that has resonated with people globally, and 'brat summer' established itself as an aesthetic and a way of life."

While it's definitely a strong contender, I'm a little disappointed personally that rawdogging didn't top the list, or even brainrot for that matter.