Cambridge Dictionary announce their Word of the Year

Do you ever feel like you know a celebrity you follow online, even though you've never met them in real life?

Could you see yourself as their friend or think that you'd get on really well together?

If so, you're not alone - and there's an official word for it.

It's called a 'parasocial' relationship, and now one of the UK's major dictionaries has named it as their Word of the Year for 2025.

The choice by the Cambridge Dictionary follows hot on the heels of the Collins Dictionary's Word of the Year which was announced last week.

What does parasocial mean?

Parasocial is defined as a connection someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know.

Experts say that the rise of these one-sided parasocial relationships has recently had a big impact on fans and celebrities.

For example, when pop star Taylor Swift and American footballer Travis Kelce announced their engagement over the summer, many fans felt a strong connection to them despite most not having met either of them.

The word was once used only by scientists, but it's become so popular that it's being used more and more as part of everyday language.

Colin McIntosh from Cambridge Dictionary explained: "It's a great example of how language changes. What was once a specialist academic term has become mainstream.

"Millions of people are engaged in parasocial relationships; many more are simply intrigued by their rise," he added.

What other words are being added to the Cambridge Dictionary?

Cambridge Dictionary has added around 6,000 new words this year, including 'delulu' and 'skibidi'.

Other words they say that have had an impact this year include 'slop', which refers to low quality content on the internet, especially things created by AI.

Another is 'memeify' - meaning to turn an event, image or person into a meme.