"Parasocial" was selected as the Cambridge Dictionary Word of the Year

- Katy Prickett & Mousumi Bakshi
- Role,

"Parasocial" (quasi-social, quasi-social interaction) was selected as the Cambridge Dictionary's word of the year, and is defined as a relationship between someone and a celebrity they have never met.

For example, when singer Taylor Swift announced her engagement to American football player Travis Kelce, fans showed interest in this "quasi-social" relationship.

The term dates back to 1956, when American sociologists observed a "quasi-social" relationship between television viewers and on-screen characters.

Editor-in-Chief Colin McIntosh said the term has recently been used to describe "a relationship between a person and an ordinary person, such as a celebrity."

"The term was originally coined as an academic term and was limited to academic fields for a considerable period of time," he added.

"It was only recently that it gradually turned into one of the buzzwords, and this is one of the words influenced by social media."

Other examples given in the Cambridge Dictionary are Lily Allen's breakup album West End Girl, which embodies people's quasi-social interest in her love life; and the emergence of quasi-social relationships with artificial intelligence (AI) robots, where people see robots as confidants, friends, or romantic partners.

The podcast host's confessional expression, which is believed to somewhat replace true friends, has contributed to the formation of "quasi-social" relationships.