Taylor Swift inspires Cambridge Dictionary’s ‘Word of the Year’

FILE – Taylor Swift arrives at the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Want to see more of NewsNation? Get 24/7 fact-based news coverage with the NewsNation app or add NewsNation as a preferred source on Google!

(NewsNation) — Taylor Swift can add another accomplishment to what has been a very memorable 2025 — inspiration for Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year.

The word “parasocial” was slightly inspired by Swift’s lyrics and her engagement to Travis Kelce this summer.

“Millions of fans related to Taylor Swift’s confessional lyrics about dating, heartbreak and desire, leading to what psychologists describe as “parasocial” bonds with stars, Cambridge University Press & Assessment said in a news release. 

“When Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement, many fans felt a deep connection to the singer and American footballer, even though most had never met them.”

Colin McIntosh, Cambridge Dictionary’s chief editor, added, “Parasocial captures the 2025 zeitgeist. It’s a great example of how language changes. What was once a specialist academic term has become mainstream.”

The term parasocial dates back almost 70 years, when sociologists noticed television viewers engaged in “para-social” relationships with on-screen personalities.

Entertainment

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AUTO TEST CUSTOM HTML 20260112181412