This explainer highlights how Gen Z has popularized the word rizz but it also shows us Black culture’s impact.
What the hell is “rizz” anyway? Oxford’s word of the year has infiltrated our language, beating out words like “Swiftie” (Taylor Swift super fans) or “situationship” (the in-between stage of dating).
Announced on Monday, the buzziest word of the year is just a shortened slang for the word charisma. To Oxford, it just means “style, charm or attractiveness,” or “the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.” The latter is the most important part to Gen-Zers who shot the word into fame this year with TikTok trends like a man on the street interview-flirting with random strangers to determine who has the most rizz. Rizz is just a cool word to describe a person with real, strong social game.
According to Oxford, the word “speaks to how language that enjoys intense popularity and currency within particular social communities — and even in some cases lose their popularity and become passé — can bleed into the mainstream . . . the spike in usage data for rizz goes to prove that words and phrases that evolve from internet culture are increasingly becoming part of day-to-day vernacular and will continue to shape language trends in the future.”
Also, rizz has become so popular in our everyday speak that it has been popularized in mainstream conversation by various celebrities, including actor Tom Holland.
