Oxford is going to goblin mode on Monday, its first word of the year that has been chosen by public vote.
What happened to the word goblin mode? It's a slang term that stands for a type of behavior that is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations. See also: Indonesia's highest volcano erupts sending Plume Of Ash 50,000-ft into the sky.
More than three million English speakers voted for a choice among three words over the course of two weeks, a choice that was screened by editors at Oxford University Press. The goblin mode won by 318,956 votes, and Metaverse was second with 14,484 votes, followed by IStandWith with 8,639 votes.
Origin and use of the word: Although goblin mode made its first appearance on Twitter in 2009, it went viral on social media in February. The word was featured in a fake news story that claimed model-actor Julia Fox and her ex-partner, rapper Ye - formerly known as Kanye West -- broke up because he didn't like when Fox went goblin mode. Oxford said that the word is also used repeatedly as a hashtag on popular social media platforms Instagram and TikTok as a contrast to the idealized manifestations of being one's best version.
Given the year we've just experienced, Goblin mode resonates with all of us who are feeling a little overwhelmed at this point. It's a relief to acknowledge that we're not always the idealized, curated selves that we're encouraged to present on our Instagram and TikTok feeds, said Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages.
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