‘Aura’ Named Youth Word of the Year 2024

The term, highlighting a person's charisma, edged out 'Talahon' and 'Schere' in a popular vote at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

‘Aura’ is used humorously by youths to describe someone's charisma or presence, and can be used both positively and negatively.
The word narrowly beat 'Talahon', which refers to young men in fake luxury clothing, often sparking discussions on social media about migration and youth culture.
‘Schere’, the third-place term, originates from gaming and signifies admitting a mistake or taking responsibility.
The Langenscheidt-Verlag has organized the Youth Word of the Year contest since 2008, with voting open to youths aged 11 to 20 since 2020.
Last year’s winning word was ‘goofy’, describing a clumsy or silly person, showing the evolving nature of youth slang.