Oxford Dictionaries has unveiled "goblin mode" as its word of the year.
The Oxford University Press defined the term as "a type of behavior which is unapologetically self-indulgent, lazy, slovenly, or greedy, typically in a way that rejects social norms or expectations."
In a news release, Oxford University Press said the word first appeared on Twitter in 2009 but went viral this past February and then gained popularity as COVID lockdowns eased.
"People are embracing their inner goblin, and voters choosing ‘goblin mode’ as the Word of the Year tells us the concept is likely here to stay," said Oxford Languages President Casper Grathwohl.
Last month, the publishing company asked for the public's help for the first time by voting on the word of the year.
According to the company, more than 300,000 people cast their vote in the last two weeks.
Goblin mode beat out metaverse and the hashtag IStandWith by garnering 93% of the votes, the Associated Press reported.
Last year's Oxford word of the year was “vax.”
