Our 2025 shortlist

aura farming

(n.) The cultivation of an impressive, attractive, or charismatic persona or public image by behaving or presenting oneself in a way intended subtly to convey an air of confidence, coolness, or mystique.

Origin

A compound of the words aura and farming.

aura: a borrowing from Latin, based on a Greek original, meaning ‘breath, breeze’ and first recorded as meaning ‘a gentle breeze’ in Middle English. It is more familiar in the sense relating to a supposed psychic or spiritual emanation or field surrounding a living being or thing, and the general impression or character that a person has.

farming: recorded from the 15th century with the sense ‘the action or system of renting out land or property for money’, but more familiar in the sense referring to the cultivation of crops or raising of livestock.

Why is it in our shortlist?

aura farming has been growing in use since its first appearance online in 2023. It surged this year, reaching a peak in July, largely as a response to a viral video of 11-year-old Rayyan Arkan Dikha from Indonesia looking effortlessly cool as he carried out his role as a motivational dancer for the crew of a traditional racing boat in the Pacu Jalur.

Its increase in usage seems to show us that sometimes, a conscious effort goes into producing that ineffable attractive something that some people just seem to have.

biohack

(v.) To attempt to improve or optimize one’s physical or mental performance, health, longevity, or wellbeing by altering one’s diet, exercise routine, or lifestyle, or by using other means such as drugs, supplements, or technological devices.

Origin

A compound of the combining form bio- and the verb hack.

bio-: a borrowing from Latin ultimately from a Greek original. It has been present in English as a building block of new words relating to life and living organisms since the 19^th century, but is also familiar from earlier borrowings from Latin, such as biology and biographer.

hack: first recorded with the sense ‘to cut or chop with heavy blows’ before the year 1200, and now also familiar in extended uses originating in computing, meaning ‘to modify (something) in order to provide a solution or workaround to a problem’ or ‘to apply an unorthodox strategy or expedient solution to adapt or optimize (something)’.

Why is it in our shortlist?

biohack has come to prominence over recent months with increased attention to the efforts of some of us—especially the rich and powerful—to turbocharge our mental or physical performance, or to halt or reverse the ageing process.

As a result, we’ve seen a doubling of usage in the past year, suggesting that, while some of the treatments and interventions used by hardcore biohackers are beyond the reach of most of us, we seem to be endlessly fascinated by efforts to cheat ill health, old age, or death itself.

rage bait

(n.) Online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media account.

Origin

A compound of the words rage (violent outburst of anger) and bait (an attractive morsel of food).

Why is it in our shortlist?

rage bait has seen a threefold increase in usage over the last year, suggesting that more people than ever are aware of the negative effects that online life can bring alongside all the positives.

This significant increase suggests that people are aware they are being drawn ever more quickly into polarizing debates and arguments as a response to algorithms’ prioritization of divisive material, and the addictive nature of outrage content. More generally, it speaks to a media culture that rewards rage bait with engagement.