The prestigious British Cambridge Dictionary published the keyword for 2025. This time, linguists chose the term "parasocial" as the word of the year. According to the official statement of the dictionary, this word has been increasingly used in society in recent years and has begun to express a new spiritual phenomenon.
The term "parasocial" usually refers to a state in which a person develops a one-sided, but strong sense of emotional attachment to a person whom they personally do not know. That is, it seems that a famous person, blogger, actor, even a book character or artificial intelligence plays an important role in a person's life. This relationship is one-sided - a celebrity may not even know that such a person exists, but for a fan, he becomes a truly significant character.
According to research, this situation was widespread on social networks during 2025. Many users began to perceive the events in the personal lives of their favorite stars as directly related to them, and in some cases, a feeling of deep anguish or joy was even observed.
The term itself was first used in 1956 by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wo. They used this word to describe the one-sided "intimacy" attitude that viewers form towards television presenters. Before that, the term was used only in academic circles, but in recent years, under the influence of mass programs, reality shows, and social networks, it has also entered ordinary vocabulary.
Lexicographers note that such neologisms are not a temporary fashion - these words are firmly embedded in the language and are becoming an integral part of modern communication.
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