Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Word of the Day
16/05/2026
I call the kiki
because this is my people,
my queer‑bright family,
my circle of soft chairs
and loud truths.
I show up proud,
rainbow in my chest,
ally in my bones,
queer‑loving down to the syllable.
I don’t hide it,
don’t whisper it,
don’t shrink it.
I stand with us.
A kiki begins
when someone says,
“Child, let me tell you—”
and suddenly the room
is a sanctuary of laughter,
shade that heals,
and gossip that glitters
like sequins on a ballroom floor.
Here, we unbutton the day,
kick off the world,
and let our real selves
take the whole sofa.
Here, I honour every identity,
every pronoun,
every story that fought its way
into the light.
A kiki is where
I hold my friends close,
lift their joy higher,
and say with my whole chest:
I am here,
I am with you,
I am queer‑supporting
in every breath.
This is our hearth,
our bright little refuge,
where the night speaks freely
and we answer back
with love.
May 16
May 16, 2026 at 12:29 AM UTC
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Word of the Day
16/05/2026
I call the kiki
because this is my people,
my queer‑bright family,
my circle of soft chairs
and loud truths.
I show up proud,
rainbow in my chest,
ally in my bones,
queer‑loving down to the syllable.
I don’t hide it,
don’t whisper it,
don’t shrink it.
I stand with us.
A kiki begins
when someone says,
“Child, let me tell you—”
and suddenly the room
is a sanctuary of laughter,
shade that heals,
and gossip that glitters
like sequins on a ballroom floor.
Here, we unbutton the day,
kick off the world,
and let our real selves
take the whole sofa.
Here, I honour every identity,
every pronoun,
every story that fought its way
into the light.
A kiki is where
I hold my friends close,
lift their joy higher,
and say with my whole chest:
I am here,
I am with you,
I am queer‑supporting
in every breath.
This is our hearth,
our bright little refuge,
where the night speaks freely
and we answer back
with love.
What It Means
Kiki is a slang term used for an informal gathering among close friends, especially to share lively gossip or frank conversation. It can also refer more broadly to gossipy conversation. Kiki is especially used in and associated with LGBTQ+ and Black communities.
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