Collins Dictionary has announced its Word of the Year for 2025, selecting “vibe coding” as the term that best represents the past twelve months. The word, which refers to a new method of AI-assisted software development, rose from complete obscurity in February to become a dominant part of the cultural conversation.
Lexicographers at Collins, who monitor a 24-billion-word database of language, chose “vibe coding” after observing a “huge increase” in its usage. The term is defined as the practice of using natural language prompts to have an artificial intelligence generate functional computer code.
The term was coined by Andrej Karpathy, a prominent AI engineer at OpenAI, to describe a process where a creator can focus on their vision, or “vibe,” and let the AI handle the technical coding. This signals a future where programming is accessible to a much wider audience.
Alex Beecroft, the managing director of Collins, said the selection “perfectly captures how language is evolving alongside technology.” He called it a “major shift” that demonstrates a “seamless integration of human creativity and machine intelligence.”
“Vibe coding” beat out a “tech-heavy” list of contenders, including “clanker” (a derogatory term for AI), “broligarchy” (a nickname for tech leaders), “biohacking” (DIY health optimization), and “Henry” (an acronym for “high earner, not rich yet”).
