Usage Contextslangsocial

Note: Use neutral alternatives in formal writing.

Rizz

//ˈɹɪz// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    The ability to attract a love interest, usually female; charm or attractiveness. uncountable

    "Near-synonym: aura"

  2. 2
    An amount of rolling paper particularly of the Rizla+ brand. Multicultural-London-English, slang, uncountable

    "And I heard that the yutes are lizz fuck it, I’m tryna put him in the rizz"

Slang
  1. 1
    Charisma or game, especially in flirting. slang, gen-alpha, 2020s

    "He has unreal rizz in every conversation."

Verb
  1. 1
    To seduce or attract a love interest. transitive

    "I'm gonna go rizz one of those girls."

Etymology

Etymology 1

Coined by YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat (or one of his close friends) around May 2021 and popularized on TikTok in 2022. Rizz further increased in prominence throughout 2023 and was chosen as the 2023 Word of the Year by Oxford University Press. Contrary to popular belief, Cenat has confirmed that the term is not short for charisma, though it has likely influenced the pronunciation. Possible earlier use In 1999, in the fourth episode, "Cassandra", of the eighth season of the British sitcom Red Dwarf, the character Arnold Rimmer uses the phrase "giving it rizz" referring to the act of engaging in sexual intercourse. While the usage in the episode implies a similar meaning to its modern colloquial meaning, it did not appear to have popularised the term. This line is referenced on the official Red Dwarf website https://reddwarf.co.uk/features/analysis/remembering-rimmer/, and the episode is available in the UK on BBC iPlayer. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00bpm2n/red-dwarf-viii-4-cassandra

Etymology 2

Coined by YouTuber and Twitch streamer Kai Cenat (or one of his close friends) around May 2021 and popularized on TikTok in 2022. Rizz further increased in prominence throughout 2023 and was chosen as the 2023 Word of the Year by Oxford University Press. Contrary to popular belief, Cenat has confirmed that the term is not short for charisma, though it has likely influenced the pronunciation. Possible earlier use In 1999, in the fourth episode, "Cassandra", of the eighth season of the British sitcom Red Dwarf, the character Arnold Rimmer uses the phrase "giving it rizz" referring to the act of engaging in sexual intercourse. While the usage in the episode implies a similar meaning to its modern colloquial meaning, it did not appear to have popularised the term. This line is referenced on the official Red Dwarf website https://reddwarf.co.uk/features/analysis/remembering-rimmer/, and the episode is available in the UK on BBC iPlayer. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00bpm2n/red-dwarf-viii-4-cassandra

Etymology 3

Clipping of Rizla+ rolling paper brand.

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