’67’ is Dictionary.com’s word of the year. What is it? : NPR

Dictionary.com named the set of numbers the word of 2025.

This says he's making reservations it's a distinction for a word that reflects “the social trends and global events that have shaped this year” and “reveals the stories we tell about ourselves and how we have changed over the year.” The word of the year is both viral jargon and linguistic time capsule (last year, for example, was “modest“).

This year's honor goes to “67” – pronounced “six seven” – a slang word that makes kids happy. annoying teachers and baffled adults for months.

It's rooted in a song “Dut-Dut (6 7)”which Philly rapper Skrilla released last December.

“The way that switch brrt, I know it's dying… 6-7, I just pulled right out onto the highway,” Skrilla says, using a verb that in hip-hop can describe anything from break and seize a car for smooth driving Totally a freebie.

But it is the phrase “67” took it off. It was popularized online mainly by viral TikToks featuring basketball highlights. including LaMelo Ballpoint guard for the Charlotte Hornets, who stands at 6-foot-7.

Then other famous basketball players, including LeBron James And Paige Bueckersstarted using this term in interviews. It spread to other sports and, soon, schools across the country. Gen Alpha usually says this slowly, in a drawl, accompanied by a hand movement: raising one upside-down palm for each number, as if weighing two objects.

“Now this is something you're just trying to use to get someone to refer to the number 67. like… “How tall are you?”… “What time is it?” … “what is this?” – High school teacher and comedian Philip Lindsay, who first published The trend was mentioned back in February in August video on Instagram. “There is literally no circumstance under which a child cannot say '67.'

Dictionary.com reports that searches for 67 have surged over the summer, increasing “more than sixfold” since June, with no signs of stopping. This term inspired music collagesrecent South Park storyline and a lot (cringes somewhat) halloween costumes.

“67 shows the speed with which a new word can spread around the world as younger generations enter the global conversation,” the ad says.

Lindsay approves of the choice, telling NPR via email that 67 is “definitely the word of 2025.” He says that while kids tend to lose interest in memes over time, especially as generations change, this one stayed strong for most of the year—though his new award could potentially change that.

“I imagine that after this designation and more people using it, it will begin to disgust the younger generation,” he wrote. “However, I think that since these numbers are seen everywhere, they will live on in the classrooms and minds of Generation Alpha for quite some time.”

But what does this really mean?

Depends on who you ask

Dictionary.com says, “Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the number 67 is that it is impossible to define.”

“It’s pointless, all over the place and pointless,” he adds. “This is the logical endpoint of constantly being online, endlessly scrolling, and consuming content fed to users by algorithms trained by other algorithms.”

In other words, the world-defining year has no real meaning or definition.

Even Skrilla, the rapper who coined the term, said XXL magazine this week he deliberately left the word vague, even though it initially had a negative connotation.

“67 went from negative to positive,” he said. “[It's] millions of other things for other people. Everyone had their own meaning to it because I never gave it any real meaning.”

Ball, a 6-foot-7 basketball player, also struggled to define it when asked in September Tik Tok.

“It’s nothing really,” said the 24-year-old. “Only six seven.”

However, as Dictionary.com says, the meaning of the term lies in the connection it creates. It's basically one big inside joke, at least for participants of a certain age.

“67 is meaningless in content, but not meaningless in feel,” parenting expert Becky Kennedy said in her book. video from instagram earlier this month. “Think about when you were a child. What could be stronger than the feeling of belonging?”

Apparently, this feeling is strong enough to nominate the 67th word of the year candidate, beating out a shortlist of contenders including broligarchy, ringing, translator And rate.

Lindsay says he's received “countless” messages from parents who have interacted with their children “at ages 6 or 7 and have been able to have meaningful conversations as a result.” He hopes others will accept it the same way.

“Every trending meme or word is a point of connection between the adults and teenagers in their lives,” he adds. “My advice is always: Know what’s going on and use it to bridge gaps with the kids in your life.”