‘Demure’ is Dictionary.com’s word of the year. If that’s news to you, here’s the backstory
“Demure” is Dictionary.com’s word of the year, with all the credit for its popularity going to lifestyle and beauty influencer Jools Lebron and her catchphrase, “very demure, very mindful.”
“Demure” means “reserved, quiet, or modest,” but the reaction to Lebron’s use of the word was anything but.
Dictionary.com calls demure’s rise in usage “meteoric” in 2024, after Lebron started using it in early August.
“Between August 2023 and July 2024, there was no significant trend in the usage of the word demure,” according to Dictionary.com. “By the week of Aug. 18, 2024, however, there was almost 14 times more interest in the term, highlighting the term’s almost overnight explosion in popularity. At the peak of the trend, demure had 200 times more searches on Dictionary.com than it did on dates preceding August.”
Dictionary.com’s lexicographers analyze headlines, social media trends, search engine results and other data to come up with its word of the year, calling it a “linguistic time capsule” that captures “pivotal moments in language and culture.”
The moment was certainly pivotal for Lebron. Her TikTok audience skyrocketed. Celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez and Khloé Kardashian, made their own “demure” videos. Lebron was interviewed on CBS Mornings and appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with guest host RuPaul.
“Very demure, very mindful” was so popular, there was a surge in trademark applications by people trying to capitalize on Lebron’s motto.
Lebron reacted demurely to the news.
@joolieannie #duet with @Mara #greenscreen #fyp #demure #verydemure ♬ original sound – Mara
Other words that stood out for Dictionary.com’s lexicographers this year were “brainrot,” “brat” and “extreme weather.”
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