English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

Slang Dictionary — Modern Slang, Decoded

What does that word actually mean? Our slang dictionary explains modern slang clearly — Gen Z, internet, British and street slang — with real definitions, examples and where each term came from.

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Gen Z Slangrizz, delulu, slay Internet Slangbrainrot, based, mid British Slangpeng, bare, peak AAVEbussin, finna, cap

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A manipulative tactic of paying someone a subtly insulting 'compliment' to lower their self-esteem and make them seek your approval. Associated with pickup-artist culture.

'Negatory' is just 'no' dressed up in radio uniform. Came out of military comms where 'negative' was the standard 'no,' and CBers stretched it into something with more swagger. Now it's the kind of word you only say if you're either driving a rig, doing a bit, or being deliberately theatrical about turning something down.

Reps that focus on the eccentric (lowering) portion of a movement, often lowering a heavier-than-normal weight slowly.

negative wallet biopsy

Cynical slang for transferring or discharging a patient after discovering they cannot pay — the only 'test' that came back negative was the wallet.

A radio term meaning 'no' — a negative answer, used instead of 'no' to avoid confusion over the radio.

A person, often a young shut-in, who is not in education, employment or training — a common protagonist background, especially in isekai where the NEET gets a second chance in another world.

A turnip, specifically the yellow swede served with haggis.

A blend of 'nerd' and 'geek' — an uncool, socially awkward person.

No, usually placed before a noun as in 'nee way' or 'nee chance'.

A loutish, delinquent young person, often in sportswear; the Scots equivalent of 'chav'.

nectar collector

A handheld dab device with a heated tip that is touched directly to concentrate while the user inhales through the other end, vaporizing on contact.

A guy whose only beard grows on his neck — visual shorthand for the pretentious, unwashed, basement-dwelling nerd who well-actually's everything. Used to dunk on someone being smugly pedantic, especially about anime, tabletop, or 'milady'-coded behaviour.

Describes a shady, suspicious, or untrustworthy person or situation; literally 'foggy/nebulous'.

Nosey, prying, can't-mind-your-own-business. The neighbour twitching the curtains every time a van pulls up is being nebby.

The nose or a projecting point; 'to neb' is to nose about.

'Non-exercise activity thermogenesis' — the energy you burn through daily movement (walking, fidgeting, chores) outside of formal workouts, relevant to fat loss.

'Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge' — the senior enlisted leader placed in charge of a section, shift, or task, often paired with an officer OIC.

'Non-Commissioned Officer' — an enlisted service member promoted to a leadership role (e.g., corporal, sergeant, petty officer) responsible for supervising and training junior personnel.

A lightweight tube with two prongs that sit in the nostrils to deliver supplemental oxygen at low flow rates.

Stands for "no big deal," used to minimize an issue or brush off thanks.

Phonetic spelling of 'north,' specifically North Atlanta and the Gwinnett County stretch (Lawrenceville, Lilburn, the 'Nawfside'). Migos put it on the map — they're from there.

A heavy-graft manual labourer, historically the men who dug Britain's canals, railways, and roads by hand. Today still used for groundworkers and trench diggers. The word carries weight: navvies built the country with picks and shovels.

'No' but stretched into a wail. Used when something is so wrong, so embarrassing, so devastating that a regular 'no' won't carry the weight. Always slightly theatrical.

A running online debate/genre in which people argue whether a given physique was built naturally or with performance-enhancing drugs.