Linguistic Joyride: ‘Rizz’ Emerges Victorious as Oxford’s Word of 2023

In a linguistic twist, Oxford University Press has officially crowned “rizz” as the Word of the Year for 2023, beating out contenders like situationship, prompt, de-influencing, and even Swiftie.

Derived from Gen Z (or perhaps Gen Alpha) slang, “rizz” encapsulates the essence of style, charm, and attractiveness, particularly in the context of one’s ability to attract romantic or sexual partners. The word first appeared in 2022 but skyrocketed to fame in June after actor Tom Holland’s candid revelation about his own “limited rizz.”

Oxford’s decision to embrace “rizz” as the Word of the Year reflects the accelerating pace of language evolution driven by social media. Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, notes that the sheer joy in saying the word and its infectious appeal contributed to its meteoric rise, backed by a 15-fold increase in usage compared to the previous year.

While Oxford usually assembles a shortlist based on statistical surges in word usage, this year’s selection involved a public participation element. Over 30,000 people voted in head-to-head thematic pairings, with “rizz” ultimately triumphing over contenders like “Swiftie.”

Grathwohl acknowledged the unique features of “rizz,” including its usage as a verb, such as “to rizz it up” to charm someone. He speculated that the word’s potential to shift from one part of speech to another indicates its lasting cultural significance.

Interestingly, “Swiftie” made a strong showing, emphasizing the influence of fan-created languages or “fanalects” in contemporary culture. Grathwohl suggested that “Swiftie” could transcend its association with Taylor Swift and evolve into a broader descriptor for a particular worldview.

The linguistic landscape is not only influenced by popular culture but also by technological advancements. Words like “prompt” gained prominence due to discussions around generative artificial intelligence, notably after the release of ChatGPT in late 2022.

As language continues to evolve, Grathwohl even mused about the potential role of artificial intelligence in selecting future Words of the Year, leveraging its data-crunching capabilities to analyze linguistic trends more effectively than humans.

In a world where words encapsulate entire cultural shifts and expressions, “rizz” stands as a testament to the dynamic nature of language, reflecting not only how we communicate but also the joy that comes with saying the right word at the right time.