‘Demure’ has been crowned Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year for 2024. The term became popular thanks to trans TikTok creator Jools Lebron, ultimately making her a viral sensation.
Although the influencer had been making beauty videos for some time, in August she shared tips on “How to be demure and modest and respectful at the workplace”.
“See how I do my make-up for work? Very demure, very mindful. I don’t come to work with a green-cut crease. I don’t look like a clown when I go to work,” she humorously explained.
@joolieannie #fyp #demure ♬ original sound – Jools Lebron
The TikTok has received over 5 million likes since it was uploaded, and Jools has posted many similar videos offering tips on how to remain “demure” in different scenarios. The term became one of the year’s top social media trends, with countless people adopting it in their vocabulary.
According to Dictionary.com, between January and September, ‘demure’ saw a 1,200% increase in usage in digital web media. At the peak of the trend, the word had 200 times more searches on the website than it did on dates preceding August.
Though ‘demure’ has traditionally been used to describe those who are “reserved, quiet, or modest,” its new definition describes a “refined and sophisticated appearance or behavior in various contexts, such as at work or on a plane.”
@joolieannie #duet with @Mara #greenscreen #fyp #demure #verydemure ♬ original sound – Mara
Other entries on Dictionary.com’s 2024 Word of the Year shortlist include gen-z terms like ‘brainrot’ and ‘brat’. The latter, made popular by Charli xcx, refers to someone who is “confidently rebellious, unapologetically bold, and playfully defiant” and has reportedly seen a 1,000% increase in digital media use compared to 2023.
Collins Dictionary crowned ‘Brat’ as its Word of the Year earlier in November. “More than a hugely successful album, ‘brat’ is a cultural phenomenon that has resonated with people globally, and ‘brat summer’ established itself as an aesthetic and a way of life,” the company explained.
Between these two phrases, it’s safe to say that the queer community continues to be trendsetters in the popular online culture of today.
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