slang

‘Coger’ and the other terms on this list mean something very different in Spain than they do in other hispanophone countries.

The close quarters of those serving together in war is a perfect Petri dish for slang. From ‘FUBAR’ to ‘fobbit,’ here are some military slang terms you should know (plus, why the military uses so many acronyms, anyway).

Ah, the classic initialism for the classic phrase 'Pardon me, you must have mistaken me for someone who gives a damn.'

The FBI’s 2014 list of internet acronyms and shorthand will have you LWP (laughing with passion).

It’s hardly the most complimentary turn of phrase, but rug rat has been a slang term for children for more than half a century.

Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright), once referred to as a "sweet summer child."

From mullet to bucket list, these terms from pop culture are newer than you may have assumed.

Discover the meanings and origins behind 10 of the most popular bits of Generation Alpha slang, from “skibidi” to “rizz” (and everything in between).

Which ones will you start using in conversation?

If you’ve ever needed a word for a piece of bread eaten just after a bath, or a term for an unpleasant choice between three options, you’re in luck.

What the @%$!! is the oldest known curse word?

The four-letter words that still have the power to offend took a circuitous route out of our mouths and into our language.

Test your knowledge of Victorian slang with this quiz that’s bang up to the elephant.

Shakespeare is the source of a lot of words.

Shakespeare is the first known citation for over a thousand words and even more meanings—but new research occasionally shows that Shakespeare actually didn't originate some phrases, a trend that will likely continue over time.

Four American soldiers stationed in Northern Ireland in 1942.

Here's how 'Roger' came to mean "received" (and how 'wilco' fits in).

Our 2025 word-a-day calendar covers old-timey slang terms, fascinating phrase origins, and more.

‘Dumpster fire’ is just one slang term to come out of the 2000s.

In the 2000s, the internet took over, as did social media, streaming, and cell phones that were also cameras and tiny computers. The slang of this era didn’t disappoint, either: From amazeballs to mukbang and beyond, here are some terms you might not have

The origins are often more complicated (and fun) than you’d expect.

Just call it "giggle smoke." Or "Nixon."

From 'giggle smoke' to 'Nixon,' these marijuana nicknames deserve a resurgence.

Cowboys in the Old West had all kinds of colorful terms for everyday items, from eggs (‘cackleberries’) to oysters (‘saltwater vegetables’) and beyond.