What Does "Rizz" Mean?

The art of flirtation has long been the subject of discussion, analysis, and conversation. From ancient courtship rituals that involved offerings of sweat-soaked apples and carefully carved spoons to more modern practices involving dating apps and social media, people have always put a lot of energy into attracting the partners they desire.

Yet while beauty standards and dating tactics have changed, there’s one thing that has almost always been an asset when it comes to flirtation: a certain kind of overall magnetism. In modern times, this sense of romantic allure has come to be known by a single, specific slang term: “Rizz.”

The Meaning of “Rizz”

Some people say that “rizz” is short for “charisma.” This word, in turn, is an ancient Greek term that originally meant “gift of grace” or “favor.” In 1910, it was adopted by German sociologist Max Weber to describe an appealing style of political leadership that often inspired people to challenge established authorities and systems. 

The word later became more popular in conversations about celebrity politicians in the 1960s. Today, the Cambridge Dictionary defines charisma as “a special quality that some people have naturally that makes them able to influence other people and attract their attention and admiration.”

“Rizz,” however, has a slightly narrower meaning than charisma. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “rizz” as “style, charm or attractiveness, and the ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner,” clarifying that this slang term specifically refers to a person’s knack for charming the object of their romantic affections.

On social media and among the Gen Z and Gen Alpha denizens who use it most frequently, “rizz” is often associated with men with a knack for seducing women. Someone might say that a man “rizzed” a woman up by gaining her affections through clever conversation, for example. However, the term can be used to describe anyone of any gender. 

The Origins of “Rizz”

“Rizz” was created by streamer Kai Cenat, who would often use the term with friends and on his Twitch broadcasts.

“Me and my friends used to always say it and stuff like that. And I definitely [popularized] it on my stream," Cenat said on an episode of 360 with Speedy Morman. “And when I would say it on stream and stuff a lot, it started going crazy,” he added. “Then it went crazy internationally, everybody say it now, it’s just in people’s vocabulary. And that’s what it is.”

Cenat further clarified what “rizz” means in an episode of the No Jumper podcast in 2022. “Rizz is when you’re talking to a girl and, at first, s**t is not going your way,” he said. “It’s looking bad for you, until you spit game and you’re rizzing them up to where s**t starts to go your way. You’re so slick with your words and what you’re saying, to where the girl is like, ‘Okay, yeah, who is this?’ After s**t goes your way, you’re like, ‘Yeah, I rizzed her up. I’ve got mad rizz.’” 

The word Cenat developed has gained so much popularity that it was even chosen as the Oxford University Press’s Word of the Year in 2023. 

That same year, actor Tom Holland raised eyebrows when, after being asked about the secret behind his “rizz,” he responded by saying he had “no rizz whatsoever.” 

However, his partner Zendaya begged to differ at the time. “I’m more shy and kind of quiet, so it takes a little bit more to pull me out of my shell,” she told BuzzFeed of why Holland had great “rizz.” “But [Tom’s] great at just talking to people and getting to know people.” Perhaps humility and authenticity are their own kinds of “rizz.”

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