Cambridge Dictionary recently announced its Word of the Year, with it having a connection to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. The word “parasocial” earned the title, with the dictionary noting that its media usage increased after the famous couple’s engagement news.

Dictionaries around the world have named their words of the year for 2025. Here’s how each term captured the cultural mood of the year.

Parasocial relationships aren’t new, but social media has intensified them because creators share their lives in ways that feel personal, accessible, and emotionally charged.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce 's love story is now influencing the dictionary. Cambridge Dictionary just announced its 2025 word of the year, revealing it was partially inspired by Swift's lyrics and her much-talked-about engagement to Kelce back in August.

Cambridge Dictionary has named its word of the year for 2025, alighting on "parasocial," used to describe a connection that people feel with someone they don't know - or even with an artificial intelligence. The term was coined in 1956 by sociologists ...