The Cambridge Dictionary named the adjective "parasocial" the word of the year 2025.

The Cambridge English Dictionary named "parasocial" the word of the year. This was announced on November 18 on the dictionary's website.

"Parasocial" is an adjective describing a one—sided emotional connection that a person experiences with someone they don't know personally. These can be, for example, characters from a book, movie, TV series, and others. With the recent spread of the formation of an emotional connection on the web, including when communicating with artificial intelligence (AI), the word is experiencing a new round, the university notes.

The term "parasocial" was coined by two sociologists, Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, and has since been found primarily in academic texts. Later, the word was included in the Cambridge Dictionary, but in September 2025, the meaning of the word "parasocial" was updated to include the possibility of an emotional connection with AI.

Along with this, at the same time, in August, the words "skibidi", "tradewife", "delulu" and "oligarchy" were added to the Cambridge Dictionary, she notedГазета.ги ".

Last year, the adjective brat became the word of the year according to the Collins Dictionary. The dictionary team characterized the word with confidence, independence, and a hedonistic attitude. It was noted that the word, which has existed since at least 1500, became one of the most discussed after the success of the singer Charli XCX's album of the same name. The dictionary considered it to have become a "cultural phenomenon" that resonated with people all over the world, and acquired the meaning of a special way of life.

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