OpenAI chief executive officer (CEO) Sam Altman has joined the meme bandwagon after Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year wasn’t really a word — but a viral term, “6-7,” used by kids and teens alike, whose meaning remains ambiguous. In a sarcastic post on X, Altman revealed that GPT-6 — which is currently in active development — will be renamed “GPT-6-7. You’re welcome.”
The word — if it can even be called that — exploded in popularity over the summer. “6-7” is more of an inside joke with an unclear meaning, fueled by social media trends.
Dictionary.com said its annual Word of the Year serves as a “linguistic time capsule” that reflects cultural moments and online behavior. Yet, the site confessed it’s “still trying to figure out exactly what it means.”
The phrase appears to have originated from rapper Skrilla’s 2024 track “Doot Doot (6-7),” which gained traction on TikTok. It became especially popular in videos featuring basketball players, including NBA star LaMelo Ball, who happens to stand 6-foot-7.
Soon after, a viral clip featuring a boy — now dubbed “The 6-7 Kid” — shouting the phrase while another juggled his hands cemented its place in internet culture.
What does “6-7” actually mean?
The truth is, no one really knows. Its meaning often depends on the person using or hearing it. Even its spelling — “6-7,” “6 7,” or “six seven” — is still debated.
Dictionary.com suggests it might convey something like “so-so” or “maybe this, maybe that,” especially when paired with the hand-juggling gesture. Merriam-Webster, meanwhile, defines it as “a nonsensical expression used especially by teens and tweens.”
Many young users employ it simply to confuse or annoy adults. “It’s meaningless, ubiquitous, and nonsensical. In other words, it has all the hallmarks of brainrot,” Dictionary.com said, adding that it still holds “meaningful” social value because of the shared connection it creates.
Parents, teachers, and influencers have all tried to decode the phenomenon. Some educators have banned it in classrooms, while others — and even parents — have made light of it with Halloween costumes or playful videos.
The trend has now spread beyond TikTok, showing up in the NFL as a playful celebration gesture after major plays.
Dictionary.com said it selects its Word of the Year based on how language shapes our communication and reflects social behavior. Searches for “6-7” have surged more than sixfold since June and continue to climb.
“The Word of the Year isn’t just about popular usage; it reveals the stories we tell about ourselves and how we’ve changed over the year,” the site noted.