Cambridge Dictionary Unveils Its Word of the Year – Do You Understand Its Meaning?

PARASOCIAL, referring to the emotional connection you feel with a celebrity you do not personally know, has been selected as the word of the year by a dictionary.

The term describes one-sided relationships with celebrities, fictional characters, and even chatbots, and its usage has significantly increased.

The term parasocial, applied to one-sided relationships with celebrities like Taylor Swift, fictional characters, and even ChatGPT bots, has seen a rise in usageCredit: Shutterstock

This term was first introduced in 1956 when sociologists observed that television audiences formed attachments to characters in shows.

However, it was selected by lexicographers this year due to its significant increase in online usage.

IShowSpeed blocked an obsessive fan whom he referred to as his “number one parasocial,” while a singer addressed her followers’ “creepy behavior.”

Simone Schnall, a psychology professor at the University of Cambridge, stated: “Many individuals develop unhealthy and intense parasocial relationships with influencers.

“This creates a false sense of familiarity, trust, and even extreme loyalty, despite it being entirely one-sided.”

Colin McIntosh from the Cambridge Dictionary remarked: “Parasocial captures the spirit of 2025. It’s a prime example of how language evolves.”

The word was chosen based on the volume of its searches in the online dictionary.

Other contenders included “slop” — referring to low-quality internet content produced by — and “memify,” which means to transform an event or image into a meme.

PARASOCIAL, referring to the emotional connection you feel with a celebrity you do not personally know, has been selected as the word of the year by a dictionary.Credit: Getty