London
—
The Cambridge Dictionary has named its word of the year for 2025, drawing on the term “parasocial”, used to describe a connection people feel with someone they don’t know – or even with artificial intelligence.
The term was coined in 1956 by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, who wanted to describe how viewers formed “parasocial” relationships with television personalities, the dictionary said in a statement Tuesday.
This phenomenon continues today, as social media users form parasocial relationships with celebrities, influencers, and online personalities with whom they have no personal connection.
A key example cited by the Cambridge Dictionary is that of singer Taylor Swift, who this year announced her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce, with many fans speaking out about their heartfelt feelings for a couple the vast majority had never met.
Another is British singer Lily Allen, whose latest album “West End Girl” tells the story of a breakup and sparked “parasocial interest in her love life,” according to the release.
And use of the term has increased this year, particularly as concerns have arisen about the connections some people have begun to develop with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT.
Colin McIntosh, a lexicographer at Cambridge Dictionary, said the word “captures the zeitgeist of 2025” and demonstrates how language is changing.
“What was once a specialized academic term has become mainstream,” he said in the release.
“Millions of people are engaged in parasocial relationships; many more are simply intrigued by their rise,” McIntosh added.
“The language around parasocial phenomena is evolving rapidly, as technology, society and culture change and mutate: from celebrities to chatbots, parasocial trends are fascinating to those interested in language development,” he said.
Simone Schnall, professor of experimental social psychology at the University of Cambridge, said in a statement that the word “is an inspired choice.”
“The rise of parasocial relationships has redefined fandom, celebrity and, with AI, the way ordinary people interact online,” she said.
“We have entered an era where many people are entering into unhealthy and intense parasocial relationships with influencers,” Schnall added.
“This gives the impression that people ‘know’ those with whom they form parasocial bonds, can trust them and even show extreme forms of loyalty. Yet it is completely one-sided.”
The Cambridge Dictionary has also highlighted a number of other words which it says have had a “significant impact” this year.
Among them are “slop”, defined as “content on the Internet of very poor quality, especially when created by artificial intelligence”, as well as “memeify” or “transforming an event, an image, a person, etc. into a meme.”
And the dictionary added 6,000 new words this year, with notable newcomers including “delulu”, “skibidi” and “tradwife”.
