This past summer was dubbed the “brat summer” in pop culture.
And now, it appears that 2024 has indeed become the “year of the brat,” as the Collins Dictionary has declared “brat” the Word of the Year for 2024.
So, what does “brat” mean? According to the Collins Dictionary, a brat is “someone characterised by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.”
“More than just an incredibly successful album, ‘brat’ has become a cultural phenomenon resonating with people worldwide. The ‘brat summer’ has established itself as an aesthetic and a way of life,” stated the dictionary’s publisher.
The British singer Charli XCX played a major role in making “brat” viral, turning it into one of the most talked-about words of 2024.
According to the singer, a brat is “that girl who’s a bit messy, likes to have fun, and sometimes says silly things.”
In an interview with the BBC, Charli XCX described some key aspects of the “brat summer” look: “a pack of cigarettes, a Bic lighter, and a white tank top without a bra.”
In a curious twist, the brat aesthetic even found its way into U.S. politics, featuring in the vice-presidential campaign of Kamala Harris. In July, Charli XCX tweeted that “Kamala IS a brat.”
Other words considered for the Word of the Year title emerged largely from social media. Among these were “delulu,” referring to someone being “completely mistaken or unrealistic in their ideas or expectations.” Another was “looksmaxxing,” often used in male online communities to refer to “attempting to maximise the appeal of one’s physical appearance,” according to CNN.
More serious contenders included “anti-tourism” (inspired by recent protests against tourism in various parts of Europe) and “supermajority,” a term describing a substantial legislative majority that allows a government to pass laws with minimal opposition.
Last year, Collins chose “AI” as its Word of the Year, stating that artificial intelligence “is seen as the next major technological revolution.”
