Online dictionary platform Dictionary.com has deliberately chosen their word of the year as “understated”.
The word is part of a phrase that became a viral sensation in August. It was brought into fashion by TikToker Jools Lebron, whose phrase was “very understated, very conscious,” whose series of videos were later replicated by other influencers and creators.
According to Dictionary.com, Demure saw a 200x increase in searches and a 1200% increase online. It is defined as “characterized by shyness and modesty; reserved”, but it means something completely different when it comes to use on the Internet.
It means having quiet confidence, or an action that is otherwise submissive and that gives one confidence or strength.
Jools Lebron, who identifies as a transgender woman, said TikTok has changed her life. “One day I was playing a cashier and making videos on my break, and now I’m flying around countries doing events, and I’ll be able to finance the rest of my transition,” she added.
The phrase spread like wildfire on the Internet after she made videos on how to be subdued and thoughtful at the airport, in the workplace, in a supermarket or in any other situation.
After the trend went viral, many other trans women joined the trend, urging their followers and subscribers to act “mindfully” and “demurely.”
‘See how I look very presentable? The way I came to the interview is the way I go to the job,” she said in a TikTok titled “understated and modest and respectful in the workplace,” which has been viewed more than 54 million times.
This trend also attracted celebrities like Jenna Ortega, Jennifer Lopez, Penn Badgley, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis.
In addition to the word ‘demure’, Dictionary.com also announced their shortlist for Word of the Year, with words such as Brainrot, Brat, Extreme Weather, Midwest Nice and Weird on the list.
Oxford University Press has also opened voting for its word covering 2024. The contenders are: slop, romance, knowledge, brain rot, subdued and dynamic prizes, and Cambridge Dictionary has officially chosen its Word of the Year as ‘Manifesto’.