BRAT

What Do Brat and Brat Summer Mean?

The Quick Answer

The word "brat" has long been used to refer to children displaying spoiled, demanding, or unruly behavior, emphasizing a negative view of entitled or impolite conduct. In modern usage, it is still used in the same way, though it's no longer limited to children. Today, "brat" can refer to anyone, of any age, who behaves selfishly or immaturely. Additionally, in social and online circles it has evolved even further and is now used as a playful or affectionate term for a confident and independent person, often denoting someone with a mischievous personality. 2024 was declared the "Brat Summer."

Brat & Brat Summer

Since at least the 16th century, brat has been widely used to describe children, particularly those from lower-income families or those who behaved in an unruly manner. By the late 20th century, it was also commonly applied to adults who were considered spoiled, impolite and demanding.

In June 2024, a new definition of brat emerged, when British singer/songwriter Charli XCX, released an album entitled Brat. The album cover featured a lime green background with the word "brat" written in a low-resolution font. In a video on TikTok, Charli XCX, described brat as:

• "You just like that girl who is a little messy and likes to party and, like maybe says some, like, dumb things sometimes. Who, like, feels herself, but then also like maybe has a breakdown, but kind of, like, parties through it. It's very honest, It's very blunt. Little bit volatile. Yeah, like, does like dumb things. But, like, it's brat. You're brat. That's brat. Yeah."

Brat went viral and, in July, Charli XCX endorsed Kamal Harris in the presidential election when she posted on X: "kamala IS brat." Shortly afterwards, the phrase "Brat summer" emerged and was defined as a summer marked by a carefree, rebellious, and mischievous attitude, emphasizing not just living fully, but doing so with a touch of sass, rebellion, and defiance.

Image for Brat

Brat traditionally means a spoiled, demanding, or unruly child.

Summary of Key Points

2024 definition of Brat and Brat Summer:

Brat / Brat Summer
Definition:	Carefree, Rebellious, and Mischievous
Type:	Word (Slang)
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Traditional definition of Brat:

Brat
Definition:	Spoiled, Demanding, or Unruly Child
Type:	Word
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults

An Academic Look at Brat

Example of Brat Used in a Text

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