If you have spent even five minutes on TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram recently, you have undoubtedly run into the word "rizz." Whether someone is praising a creator's "unspoken rizz" or joking about a text message exchange gone wrong with "L rizz," this word has completely taken over internet culture.
But what does it actually mean? Where did it come from? And how did a simple slang word end up being crowned Oxford University Press's Word of the Year?
The Meaning of Rizz: A Definition
At its core, rizz is short for charisma. It refers to a person's ability to attract, charm, or seduce another person through style, personality, or conversation. When you have rizz, you are engaging, smooth, and capable of capturing someone's romantic interest effortlessly.
“Rizz (noun): Charm, appeal, or attractiveness; the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.”
— Oxford English Dictionary
Rizz can also be used as a verb (usually in the phrase "rizz up"), which means to charm, talk to, or attract someone.
Origins: How Kai Cenat Made 'Rizz' Go Viral
While variations of slang exist in many local dialects, the term rizz is widely credited to Twitch superstar and content creator Kai Cenat in 2021. During his live streams with friends in New York, Kai would use the word to describe his smooth talking or mock his friends' failures. The term quickly caught on in his gaming community and exploded across TikTok, becoming mainstream slang by mid-2022.
The Different Types of Rizz
As with all slang, internet communities expanded the vocabulary. Today, there are several distinct categories of rizz:
- W Rizz: Excellent, successful charisma that wins someone over.
- L Rizz: Terrible, awkward, or failed attempts at flirting.
- Unspoken Rizz: The rare ability to attract someone purely through physical appearance, eye contact, and body language without saying a single word.
- Rizzler: A person who has mastered the art of rizz (a playful nickname).
How to Use 'Rizz' in Daily Conversation
Using rizz correctly requires understanding whether it is a noun or a verb. Here is an example of what a typical Gen Z conversation looks like:
Why It Matters: Oxford's Word of the Year
In late 2023, Oxford University Press officially named "rizz" its Word of the Year, beating out other popular contenders like "swiftie" and "prompt." The lexicographers noted that rizz represents a shift in how internet slang can bypass traditional gatekeepers and become part of everyday language almost overnight.
Rizz isn't just about flirting—it reflects the modern obsession with self-presentation, branding, and charisma in the digital age.