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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Latest slang terms

A competitor prized for extreme muscle mass covering nearly every inch of the frame, a look that defined the sport from the 1990s onward.

A calorie-dense supplement blending protein and lots of carbs, used by hard gainers to hit a big surplus when whole food is hard to eat.

The relative size of a muscle group or of the whole physique; adding mass is the aim of a bulk.

masquerade den mom

A convention volunteer who shepherds cosplayers backstage during a masquerade, keeping the running order, easing nerves, and handling last-minute fixes. Also called a 'den parent.'

The main on-stage costume contest at a convention, where cosplayers present their work and sometimes perform short skits, judged on presentation and/or craftsmanship.

To destroy or wreck something; in performance slang, to 'mash up di place' is to thrill the crowd.

To destroy, wreck or batter something. Cars get mashed in crashes, opponents get mashed in a fight, a phone screen gets mashed when you drop it.

Short for masculine or masculine-presenting. In WLW use it's the umbrella for the whole masculine side of the spectrum, from soft masc all the way to butch. Unlike 'butch', which is lesbian-specific, 'masc' travels across the queer world — gay men and trans folks use it too, often in the dating-profile sense of 'masc4masc'.

Short for 'masquerade' — the costumed street performance of Carnival; 'to play mas' is to participate in a Carnival band.

A personifying nickname for cannabis, playing on the word 'marijuana'.

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority — the city's subway and bus network. Limited reach (most OTP counties opted out decades ago) but a cultural fixture; ATL artists name-drop MARTA stations as neighborhood markers.

Pour the dregs of one container into another so you end up with one full bottle instead of two sad half-empties. Classic move during prep or close-down: ketchup bottles, oil jugs, half-empty squeeze bottles all get married. Health inspectors hate it when done wrong (cross-contamination, FIFO violations), which is why a lot of kitchens technically ban it and everyone does it anyway.

Mate, friend, pal. The North-East's working-class term of endearment between blokes — pit-village roots, still alive in pubs from Newcastle to Workington. Warmer than 'mate', less performative than 'bro'.

Spanglish loanword for a market or grocery store, common in US Latino communities.

The illuminated artwork panel sitting on top of an arcade cabinet, showing off the game's logo and art. It's the cab's billboard, glowing across a dark arcade.

Short for market capitalisation, the total value of a cryptocurrency calculated as its price multiplied by circulating supply, used to rank and compare coins.

A mark is the target of a swindle, con game, or pickpocket team, the person picked out to be cheated or robbed.

A thick layer of cool, damp cloud and fog that drifts inland from the Pacific along the California coast.

A margin call is a broker's demand that a trader deposit additional cash or securities when the value of a margined account falls below the required maintenance level. Failing to meet it can force liquidation of positions.

A jokey personification of the margin call: 'Marge' phones to forcibly liquidate a trader's positions when their leveraged account falls below requirements.

A shortened 'nightmare'; a difficult or disastrous experience.

Easily upset, whiny, or prone to strops.

A whingey, sulky person. The one moaning when the round's not their shout, crying when they lose at pool. Mardy with the arse welded on for emphasis.

marathon strats

The cautious version of a route — a bit slower, but far less likely to blow up in your face. Named after marathon events like GDQ, where finishing the game live in one attempt matters more than a personal best.