Oxford English Dictionary’s latest addition to the lexicon, the word “stan,” is often traced to one of rap’s greatest artists — none other than Marshall Mathers, otherwise known to the world as Eminem.
The dictionary officially defines a “stan” as “an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity” and cites the origin as “early 21st century” and “probably an allusion” to the rapper’s seminal 2000 single “Stan.” The memorable track featured Dido and chronicled the fictional tale of an overzealous fan whose creepy obsession with Slim Shady leads to a fatal end for the fan and his pregnant girlfriend.
In case you were wondering, the word can also be used as a verb, which the dictionary example describes thusly: “Y‘all know I stan for Katy Perry, so I was excited to see the artwork for her upcoming album.”
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