'Vibe coding' is Collins Dictionary's word of the year 2025
What's the story
Collins Dictionary has named "vibe coding" as its 2025 word of the year. The term refers to a new method of software development that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to convert natural language into computer code. It was first coined in February by Andrej Karpathy, a founding engineer at OpenAI and Tesla's former AI director. The term captures how AI can enable app development without traditional coding skills.
Term's evolution
Term's popularity surge and significance
The term "vibe coding" has gained immense popularity since its inception, according to Collins Dictionary. The lexicographers at Collins track a 24 billion-word corpus from various media, including social media, to compile their annual list of new and significant words. Alex Beecroft, Managing Director at Collins, said the term perfectly captures how language is evolving with technology.
Lexicon expansion
Other words that made it to the list
Along with "vibe coding," other words like "biohacking," "clanker," and "glaze" also made it to Collins's list. Biohacking refers to altering one's body processes for health and longevity, while clanker is a derogatory term for computers or robots popularized by Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Glaze means to praise someone excessively or undeservedly.
Cultural impact
Words that gained traction in specific contexts
The term "aura farming," which refers to cultivating a cool persona, gained popularity this year after the viral "boat kid" video. The word "broligarchy," referring to tech company owners and their political influence, also made it to the list after many of these bosses attended US President Donald Trump's inauguration. Collins's shortlist also included terms like "Henry," an acronym for high earner not rich yet; micro-retirement; taskmasking; and coolcation.