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

finna come through

About to pull up — but with intent. In Houston the phrase carries the weight of the city's cruising tradition: you're not just stopping by, you're rolling through, probably on swangas, definitely with the music up.

An animated execution you trigger by meleeing an unaware enemy from behind. Brutal, cinematic, and a total flex on the killcam.

Smooth-talking, tricking or outmanoeuvring somebody to come out on top — could be money, a deal, a girl, a free meal. Less brute force, more sleight of hand. Drill and trap turned it into a whole lifestyle verb.

To handle a situation with slick, impressive skill.

finer than frog hair

Used to say one is doing very well, or that something is extremely fine—frogs having no hair at all.

fine and mellow

Of a person, attractive and pleasant in an easygoing way.

A fin is a five-dollar note in American slang.

Extremely annoyed or angry; 'filthy on' someone.

A skater or videographer who records footage of others skating, essential to the culture of video parts and clips.

Episodes or arcs invented for the anime that are not in the source manga, often used to avoid catching up to an ongoing manga. Many fans skip filler.

A humorous bureaucratic-sounding name for the wastebasket, where unwanted paperwork is 'filed.'

Backronym for 'Forever I Love Atlanta,' riffing off the sportswear brand. A loyalty stamp — tattoos, ad-libs, hashtags. Got a major signal boost from Gucci Mane's 1017 era and stays in rotation as an ATL shibboleth.

fighting darwin

Ironic phrase for medicine repeatedly rescuing a patient whose reckless behaviour or refusal of care keeps endangering them, thwarting 'natural selection.'

A supportive exclamation of encouragement, shouted to cheer someone on. Ubiquitous among idols and fans alike.

In much of the Caribbean, a 'fig' refers to a banana (especially the small variety), not the Mediterranean fig fruit.

A challenge for a loose ball where neither player has the advantage and both go in equally hard.

In Houston car culture, the spare wheel bolted upright on the trunk lid of a slab — usually an old-school Cadillac or Lincoln — color-matched to the candy paint and dripping in chrome. Part trophy, part trademark. No fifth wheel, no slab.

The golden rule of the walk-in: when fresh product comes in, it goes behind the older stock, not in front of it. Break FIFO and you're throwing money in the bin and inviting a health inspector to ruin your week.

High praise in ballroom and drag for someone serving intensity, confidence and fearless style. To be fierce is to command the room with zero apology. The word leaked into mainstream pop culture (Tyra, Beyoncé) but its roots are Black and Latino queer ballroom.

A prisoner with a serious drug addiction, always chasing the next high.

To break a weapon down into its major parts for cleaning, lubrication, or repair in the field.

An all-hands deep-cleaning evolution — every sailor or Marine in the space, all working at once, scrubbing bulkhead to overhead. Usually weekly, usually right before liberty so you can't escape it. The most loathed two words in barracks life.

Wisconsin and Upper Michigan's go-to acronym for a Chicago/Illinois tourist behaving badly — short for 'F***ing Illinois B*****d.' Trotted out every summer when Illinois plates clog the lakefront, drive 20 over on the interstate, or argue about whether bratwurst should be boiled in beer (it should). Mostly affectionate-hostile; you'll see it on bumper stickers in Door County.

Slang and financial term for currency that has value by government decree rather than backing by a commodity.