Oxford's Word of the Year for 2024 has been revealed, but this year the winning 'word' is actually two: "brain rot".

The term, popular among Gen Z and Gen Alpha Brits, has been defined as: "The 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."

The word was chosen following a public vote. In total, 37,000 people had their say and "brain rot" came out on top from a six-word shortlist which included "demure" and "romantasy".

Despite becoming popular among the young, the term "brain rot" is actually much older than anybody still alive today.

The word first appeared 170 years ago, in Henry David Thoreau's Walden.

The author wrote: "While England endeavours to cure the potato-rot, will not any endeavour to cure the brain-rot, which prevails so much more widely and fatally?"

The President of Oxford Languages, Casper Grathwohl, said: "'Brain rot' speaks to one of the perceived dangers of virtual life, and how we are using our free time."

He added: "It feels like a rightful next chapter in the cultural conversation about humanity and technology. It’s not surprising that so many voters embraced the term, endorsing it as our choice this year.

"I find it fascinating the term 'brain rot' has been adopted by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, those communities largely responsible for the use and creation of the digital content the term refers to.

"These communities have amplified the expression through social media channels, the very place said to cause 'brain rot'.

"It demonstrates a somewhat cheeky self-awareness in the younger generations about the harmful impact of social media that they’ve inherited."

Critics have hit out at the choice for being more than one word.

One X user wrote: "'Brain rot' is actually two words otherwise known as a term of phrase. Please correct."

Another said: "It’s a compound word guys. Compound words can have spaces. It’s a quirk of English."

While a third said: "I thought the two words that would be word of the year would be woke s**t."