Oxford University Press (OUP) has released the shortlist for its annual Word of the Year which includes a reference to the scramble for Oasis gig tickets in an August frenzy. 

The words were "chosen to reflect some of the moods and conversations that have shaped 2024" and compiled by OUP’s experts following analysis of its 25-billion-word body of language data.

The public chose 'goblin mode' as their winner in 2022, and 'rizz' in 2023.

The competing six words and expressions have seen a notable spike in usage and gained new prominence in 2024.

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The shortlist, now open to public vote, is as follows:

• Lore (n.): A body of (supposed) facts, background information, and anecdotes relating to someone or something, regarded as knowledge required for full understanding or informed discussion of the subject in question.

• Brain rot (n.): Supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, especially viewed as the result of overconsumption of material (now particularly online content) considered to be trivial or unchallenging. Also: something characterised as likely to lead to such deterioration.

• Dynamic pricing (n.): The practice of varying the price for a product or service to reflect changing market conditions; in particular, the charging of a higher price at a time of greater demand.

• Demure (adj.): Of a person: reserved or restrained in appearance or behaviour. Of clothing: not showy, ostentatious, or overly revealing.

• Slop (n.): Art, writing, or other content generated using artificial intelligence, shared and distributed online in an indiscriminate or intrusive way, and characterised as being of low quality, inauthentic, or inaccurate.

• Romantasy (n.): A genre of fiction combining elements of romantic fiction and fantasy, typically featuring themes of magic, the supernatural, or adventure alongside a central romantic storyline.

Casper Grathwohl, president of Oxford Languages, said: “Since 2004, we’ve aimed to provide a window into language and cultural change through the Oxford Word of the Year.

"The 2024 shortlist represents a snapshot of the topics that have caught our interest and imagination and kept us talking.

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"Capturing themes from finances to fantasy, what is particularly unique about this year’s selection is the range of words associated with bygone eras that have slid back into public consciousness – in some cases after being adopted and retooled by online communities.”

Voting is open on the OUP.com website and closes on Thursday November 28.

OUP will conduct a last detailed analysis, considering data, votes, and public commentary on the finalists, before naming the definitive Word of the Year for 2024 on December 2.

From podcast (US) and sudoku (UK) in 2005, to selfie (2013) and (2015) and climate emergency (2019), Word of the Year highlights the language that has reflected the cultural shifts, patterns, and sentiments of a particular year.