“Demure,” a phrase that gained viral fame on TikTok because of creator Jools Lebron, has been named Dictionary.com‘s 2024 Phrase of the 12 months.
The announcement, made Monday on the platform’s web site, emphasised the deeper significance of the annual choice.
“The Phrase of the 12 months is not nearly common utilization; it reveals the tales we inform about ourselves and the way we have modified over the yr. And for these causes, Dictionary.com’s 2024 Phrase of the 12 months is ‘demure,'” the announcement learn.
The phrase took off on TikTok in August, with Lebron coining the phrase “very demure, very conscious” in a sequence of viral movies. She usually paired “demure” with phrases like “cutesy” and “thoughtful,” sharing recommendation on easy methods to be modest and respectful in numerous settings, such because the office.
Her playful but considerate use of the phrase impressed numerous recreations, solidifying its cultural influence.
TikToker Jools Lebron is seen in FiDi on Sept, 05, 2024 in New York Metropolis.
The Hapa Blonde/GC Pictures by way of Getty Pictures, FILE
The phrase demure noticed a large 1,200% bounce in digital media utilization by August, in accordance with Dictionary.com. Social media buzz despatched Google searches hovering, with curiosity spiking practically 14 occasions within the week of Aug. 18. On Dictionary.com, searches for demure had been 200 occasions increased on the development’s peak in comparison with earlier within the yr, highlighting its sudden explosion in recognition.
As a transgender lady, Lebron advised “Good Morning America” in September that the celebrity and a spotlight she’s obtained have drastically improved her monetary stability, permitting her to finish her transition and assist her household.
“I grew up in a humble a part of Chicago, and so with the ability to lastly give my household good housing, and reside in an excellent space. And with the ability to not do issues like, the place we’re out of survival mode, however with the ability to really afford issues by itself is simply with the ability to change my life,” she mentioned.
