Meaning
Playfully delusional: so convinced of an unrealistic outcome, especially in dating or celebrity fandom, that the conviction itself becomes the joke; also used as a noun for that state of optimism. Internet slang, almost always lowercase, affectionate rather than clinical, and closely tied to the rhyme 'delulu is the solulu'. Very informal, jokey self-description; mildly dismissive when aimed at someone else. Regional use: General English online; roots in international K-pop fandom.
Origin
The word is a rhythm-mimicking shortening of 'delusional' that grew up in international K-pop fandom communities; the Korea JoongAng Daily traces it to roughly the mid-2010s, when fans used it to tease fellow fans who fantasised about dating idols. Around 2022-2023 it broadened on TikTok into a self-aware brand of optimism about dating and everyday life, captured by the rhyme 'delulu is the solulu' (delusion is the solution). The New York Times Style section profiled the trend in November 2023, and in the American Dialect Society's 2023 Word of the Year voting the word was recognised as a runner-up in the Most Creative category, defined as 'delusion, as in delulu is the solulu'. The exact first use in fandom spaces is undocumented.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- delulu era
- delulu is the solulu
- delulu-ing
Usage Examples
- She is being fully delulu about the barista who remembered her order; he is just polite.
- A little delulu got him through audition season, and honestly it worked.
- Delulu is the solulu, the group chat declared, and they booked the concert tickets anyway.