Beyond words: ‘67’ crowned Word of the Year
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Dictionary.com said the origin of the word might be traced to Doot Doot (6 7), a song by the US rapper Skrilla.
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/SKRILLA
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- "67" is Dictionary.com's Word of the Year for 2025, confusing parents and teachers.
- The term "67" may originate from Skrilla's song "Doot Doot (6 7)" and became popular online and in schools.
- "67" usage surged online with the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce engagement, used as shorthand for the "TNT" couple.
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WASHINGTON – A double-digit combination set the social media sphere ablaze among teens in 2025, leaving parents and teachers befuddled – and now it has officially been crowned Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year: 67.
But even the organisation that unveiled the winning word – pronounced “six-seven” and never “sixty-seven” – admitted it was not exactly sure about its meaning.
“You might be feeling a familiar vexation at the sight of these two formerly innocuous numerals,” Dictionary.com said, addressing parents as it announced the winner this week.
Members of Gen Alpha, it added, might be “smirking at the thought of adults once again struggling to make sense of your notoriously slippery slang”.
Dictionary.com said the origin of the word might be traced to Doot Doot (6 7), a song by the US rapper Skrilla.
Use of the word went viral in schools and on social media in 2025. It can be taken to mean a variety of things, with context, tone and absurdity all playing a role in determining its definition in the moment.
“67” beat out some stiff competition from other words that were short-listed for Word of the Year. These included “broligarchy”, “Gen Z stare” and an entry from the world of emoticons – the dynamite emoji.
Its use exploded online with news of the engagement between pop superstar Taylor Swift and American football star Travis Kelce,
