noun Uncommon

slug

sluhg

Slug (noun) means a soft-bodied, shell-less land mollusk related to the snail. Example: “Slugs left silvery trails across the vegetable patch overnight.”

noun

A soft-bodied, shell-less land mollusk related to the snail.

"Slugs left silvery trails across the vegetable patch overnight."

A lazy, slow-moving person.

"Get off the sofa, you slug — we have chores to do."

A bullet, or a solid metal projectile fired from a gun.

"The detective found a spent slug lodged in the wall."

The short identifying phrase used at the end of a web address, or the working title editors give to a news story.

"The blog post's slug was automatically generated from its title."

verb

To hit someone hard, usually with a fist.

"He slugged his opponent square on the jaw."

How to use slug

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDepending on context: a slimy garden pest, a lazy person, a bullet, or (online) the short text at the end of a URL.

Common mistake

In web/tech contexts, "slug" specifically means the URL-friendly identifier (like "my-article-title"), not the whole address.

Common pairings

garden slug lazy slug a shotgun slug the article slug

Word forms

slugged past tense, slugged past tense, slugs plural, slugs plural, SLUGs plural, slugs singular, slugs singular

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Can you complete this real example?

_____ left silvery trails across the vegetable patch overnight.

Etymology

Originally described a slow, lazy person, likely from a Middle English word for sloth or a lazy oaf; the snail-like mollusk and the bullet sense both grew out of related ideas of a slow-moving or solid lump.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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nip & Thesaurus:drink

Rhymes for slug

lug plug glug

See all rhymes for slug →

Frequently asked questions

What does “slug” mean?

The word “slug” means a soft-bodied, shell-less land mollusk related to the snail. In plain terms, depending on context: a slimy garden pest, a lazy person, a bullet, or (online) the short text at the end of a URL.

How do you pronounce “slug”?

“Slug” is pronounced sluhg (/slʌɡ/ in IPA).

How do you use “slug” in a sentence?

Here is “slug” used in a sentence: “Slugs left silvery trails across the vegetable patch overnight.”

What is another word for “slug”?

Words with a similar meaning to “slug” include nip & Thesaurus:drink.

What part of speech is “slug”?

Depending on how it is used, “slug” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “slug” come from?

The word “slug” comes from Middle English. Originally described a slow, lazy person, likely from a Middle English word for sloth or a lazy oaf; the snail-like mollusk and the bullet sense both grew out of related ideas of a slow-moving or solid lump.

Is “slug” a common word?

“Slug” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “slug” have?

“Slug” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a soft-bodied, shell-less land mollusk related to the snail.