BRAT SUMMER MAY be over but its influence lives on after the term ‘Brat’ was named as the Collins Dictionary Word of the Year for 2024.
While the word brat has traditionally meant a bad-mannered child, this summer, it has taken on a new meaning sparked by the release of an album called ‘brat’ by British singer Charli XCX in June.
The album art and marketing materials were a confronting lime green colour with the word ‘brat’ printed in low-resolution, lower case letters.
Charlie XCX, real name Charlotte Aitchison, sent TikTok into a spiral when her album Brat inspired a trend that became a lifestyle, rather than just an aesthetic.
kamala IS brat
— Charli (@charli_xcx) July 22, 2024
Collins defines brat as being “characterised by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude”.
The dictionary added that brat has “clearly captured something of the spirit of the age, one that goes beyond a potentially short-lived but exuberant ‘brat summer’”.
“Channelling self-acceptance as well as rebelliousness, it’s a fitting word for 2024, a year when hedonism and anxiety have combined to form an intoxicating brew,” said Collins.
Fellow music star Taylor Swift also featured on the shortlist, highlighting the role of female musicians in shaping popular culture.
The Swift-inspired runner-up is ‘era’, after her billion-dollar Eras Tour which takes fans through her back catalogue.
Collins describes era as a “period of one’s life or career that is of a distinctive character”.
‘Rawdogging’ also made the shortlist.
This is a trend which involves forgoing comforts of the internet age and the dopamine hit of smartphone apps.
It is best captured by the idea of taking long-haul flights and doing nothing but staring at the back of the seat in front of you.
Other entries on the list include ‘anti-tourism’, inspired by locals in places such as Barcelona who have protested against crowds, economic distortions and environmental impacts of mass tourism, and argue for a more sustainable approach.
‘Yapping’ also features, which refers to talking at length especially about an inconsequential matter, and ‘delulu’, meaning utterly mistaken or unrealistic in one’s ideas or expectations.
While many words on this year’s list aren’t new, they’ve been given another lease of life, coming back into fashion and sometimes being refashioned for reasons that are often hard to fathom.
Brat was first recorded around 1500, while yapping has been around since the 17th century.
Alex Beecroft, managing director of Collins, said: “With many of this year’s notable words being popularised by generations Z and Alpha, we can confidently say this is the most ‘brat’ Word of the Year list ever.”
The lexicographers at Collins Dictionary monitor their 20-billion-word database to create the annual list of new and notable words that reflect our ever-evolving language and the preoccupations of those who use it.
-With additional reporting from Press Association
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