Cambridge Dictionary names 'parasocial' as 2025 word of the year

Cambridge Dictionary has announced "parasocial" as its 2025 word of the year, highlighting the cultural phenomenon describing one-sided emotional connections that people form with celebrities or non-human entities they don't personally know.

The dictionary defines parasocial as describing "a one-sided emotional connection that someone forms with a celebrity they don't know." A widely discussed example includes global fans' intense emotional investment when American singer Taylor Swift and football player Travis Kelce announced their engagement.

Cambridge Dictionary editor Colin McIntosh noted that while parasocial has become frequently applied to celebrities and "non-human entities" such as virtual characters or AI chatbots, the term originally existed purely in academic circles before entering mainstream language through social media culture.

The term dates back to 1956 when University of Chicago sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl identified the phenomenon while studying television culture, observing that viewers developed friend-like emotional projections toward on-screen personalities.

The dictionary noted modern media has amplified these emotional dynamics, citing examples including singer Lily Allen's relationship details in her West End Girl album triggering parasocial interest among fans, AI chatbots becoming "intimate friends" or "imaginary lovers" for users, and podcast hosts creating genuine friendship feelings among listeners through personal storytelling.

Cambridge Dictionary senior editor Jessica Rundell said the word of the year selection doesn't judge whether the term is good or bad, but rather recognizes its cultural significance and widespread usage. "Parasocial was chosen because it captures a collective mood in today's global social media culture," she explained.