Rizz is an Internet slang word defined as "style, charm, or attractiveness; the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner".[1] The phrase was made popular outside the African American community by Kai Cenat, an American YouTuber, in mid-2021, though it was used colloquially long before. An abbreviation of the word charisma, it subsequently garnered virality on the social media application TikTok.[2] Oxford University Press named it its word of the year for 2023.[3]

Etymology

Kai Cenat, who popularized the word rizz

The origin of the word in mid-2021 is attributed to Kai Cenat. Streaming on Twitch, Cenat would share to people how to have "rizz" and developed other phrases, such as "W rizz" and "L rizz", to describe a person's "winning" or "losing" abilities at attracting or chatting up a person/potential love interest.[4]

Rizz is a colloquial noun, used when describing possession of charisma. As a verb, rizz can be used to describe using charisma to attract someone, as to "rizz up" a person.[1][3]

It is believed that the middle syllable of the word charisma was shortened to create the word rizz. Oxford University Press described this formation pattern for a word as "unusual". However, this formation pattern can be seen in the shortening of words such as refrigerator (to fridge), and influenza (to flu).[1]

The word is mainly used by Generation Z (people born in the late 1990s to early 2010s),[5] though it has attracted significant use from Generation Alpha (people born in the early 2010s to early to mid-2020s) as well.[6] Further development of the word "rizz" includes "rizzler," "rizz god," "Walt Rizney," "Theodore Rizzevelt," "Rizzard of Oz," and "unspoken rizz."[7] The term "unspoken rizz" refers to a person's ability to attract a person without speaking.[8] The terms "rizzler" and "rizz god" refer to one being excellent at attracting. "Walt Rizzney, "Theodore Rizzevelt, and "Rizzard of Oz" are word plays on Walt Disney, Theodore Roosevelt, and The Wizard of Oz.

In the media

Cenat stated in a June 2022 interview on the music podcast No Jumper that after the word went viral on TikTok, he stopped using it himself, stating that the viral use on TikTok "butchered" the word.[4]

Rizz went further viral in June 2023, after actor Tom Holland explained in an interview with BuzzFeed that he possessed "limited rizz" and it was by playing the "long game" that helped to win over his girlfriend, actor Zendaya. From this, a number of memes were created.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Heaton, Benedict (2023-12-04). "Rizz crowned Oxford Word of the Year 2023". Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  2. ↑ "Rizz - What does rizz mean?". slang.net. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  3. 1 2 "Rizz named word of the year 2023 by Oxford University Press". BBC News. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  4. 1 2 "What does rizz mean, and do you have it? The Gen Z term storming TikTok". Yahoo Sports. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  5. ↑ "Word of the year 2023 is 'rizz' after Tom Holland interview fuelled rise in use - but what does the Oxford pick mean?". Sky News. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  6. ↑ Kircher, Madison Malone (2023-11-08). "Gen Alpha Is Here. Can You Understand Their Slang?". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  7. ↑ Press-Reynolds, Kieran. "How the slang term 'rizz' became an internet obsession that stumped boomers (and even zoomers)". Business Insider. Business Insider. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  8. ↑ Hall, Vanessa (2023-04-04). "All About 'Rizz' and What It Actually Means". Parade. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  9. ↑ Khomami, Nadia; Arts, Nadia Khomami; correspondent, culture (2023-12-04). "Got rizz? Tom Holland memes propel popularity of 2023 word of the year". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
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