On October 29, the slang term “67”– pronounced six seven – was named “word of the year” by Dictionary.com.
But while this may seem like an unorthodox choice, it is nothing new for word of the year programs like those run by Dictionary.com.
With Oxford Dictionaries 2025 word being “rage bait”, and last year’s choice for Dictionary.com being “demure” referencing one of the biggest memes of 2024, it’s clear the internet is a driving force in the word of the year decision-making.
While this year’s “67” is heavily controversial, and there are countless opinions on it, there’s no denying that its influence is massive, having over 2 million Tik Toks with the “67” hashtag.
But what does it mean? “67” came from a song called “Doot Doot” made by rapper Skrilla, a Philadelphia based artist, who after a rough upbringing now focuses on the darker and violent side of life in his songs.
Throughout the song, Skrilla says “67” often, referring to 67th street in Philadelphia, his hometown.
This “67” reference quickly turned to a meme, first as a commentary on NBA player Lamelo Ball’s height, which coincidentally was 6 foot 7 inches tall. However, the meme stated that he played like he’s 6 ‘2. Swarms of creators used the audio, and clips of people saying “67,” to create edits (a compilation of videos, typically flattering the edited) of players, usually whoever said the numbers.
The meme grew exorbitantly, and “67” spread like a wildfire. Anytime the words “67” were uttered, an edit, or some sort of reaction was not far behind.
And since then, it’s only grown bigger among teens especially, reaching middle and high schools across the country. At Big Sky, teacher Nicholas Composto recalled a “67” incident from one of his recent class periods.
“I said they had 6 or 7 minutes to read the paper, and immediately these three kids reacted,” Composto said.
But while these two numbers have gained unprecedented fame, and a much different meaning, at the end of the day all it refers back to is a simple street in Philadelphia.
As previously stated, everybody seems to have a different opinion associated with “67.” Some say it’s as sweet as mangos, and others claim it’s bitter, spicy and pungent like mustard.
For example, junior Cash Kerns viciously stated, “It’s a stupid thing, it’s not even funny.”
Other students and staff members feel differently. For instance, senior Robby Larson said “67” absolutely deserved to be word of the year, “without a shadow of a doubt.”
And he’s not alone with this perception, satirical or not. His peer Tait Ramsey voiced his opinion of “67”, declaring, “Yeah, ‘67’ deserved to get word of the year, it has influenced a ton of kids, and everybody I know has been saying it.”
Even teachers are in on the phrase. Abby Green, Big Sky math teacher, decided that it’s kinda funny.
“It’s an interesting note on our culture, that a word like “67” would get word of the year,” Green said.
Overall, the “67” meme has grown exponentially from its humble roots in Chicago,going from a line in a rap song to word of the year. Whether you’re with Larson and think it’s outstanding, like a haircut for just a quarter, or if you think it’s as tasteless as ice cream shorts, like Kerns,there’s no denying its impact and it doesn’t seem to be leaving anytime soon.
