slang

Some words are bound to make you laugh—but why?

“Wriggly, Squiffy, Lummox, and Boobs: What Makes Some Words Funny?” analyzed an existing list of 4997 funny words and recruited 800 survey participants to whittle down the collection to the 200 words the people found funniest.

You’ll want to start using these butt-related euphemisms from days past.

When talking about the fundament, some terms have slipped through the crack of lexical history—so please enjoy these old and enjoyable terms for the hindquarters.

The word ‘yo’ was around long before Rocky movies and rap songs.

The rich history of the English language is full of similar directional words that are cool but uncommon, like ‘pancakewards,’ ‘couchward,’ and ‘pocketwards.’

Nowadays, we use jones to express an intense craving for something. But it used to refer specifically to drugs.

What is an Irish goodbye—and why is it called that?

“The Drinkers Dictionary,” published by Franklin in the ‘Pennsylvania Gazette’ in January 1737, features terms like ‘nimptopsical’ and ‘cherubimical’ as synonyms for ‘drunk.’

Whatever you do, don’t mess up the meanings of ‘punter.’

You’ll be chuffed after you read this peng British slang list, with bare terms that will keep you from looking like a pillock.

Here are all the new jawns in the dictionary.

Non-Philadelphians can finally look up the meaning of ‘jawn’ in the dictionary.

We don’t know how these Victorian slang terms ever fell out of fashion, but we propose bringing them back, as soon as possible.

Are these two kaylied up, or are they merely drinking dog’s water?

These terms are sure to blow your wig.

The world is heating up, and things are often on fire—literally. As we do what we can to squelch the flames, check out some old and obscure words people of the past used when they wanted to talk about all things fire.

It's a wheel. Also a tire. With a rim. And a hubcap.

Get up to speed on your car lingo.

While your Deaf friends might get a good laugh when you accidentally sign “f**k you” instead of “thank you,” it’s still best to know the correct signs when interacting within the Deaf community.

Knowing a bit of Dutch slang will not just help you find your bearings when you visit Amsterdam and its surroundings, but also earn you respect from the locals—who, despite being great at English, have a strong connection to their mother tongue.

People who were up to no good should have been on the lookout for slops (police) who wanted to put them away for neves (seven years).

Back slang is kind of like a lexical puzzle that everyone from costermongers and criminals of the Victorian era to today’s Wordle fans can appreciate.

The f-word is often thought of as the most useful and flexible word in English. Whether that’s true or not, the term is so successful that it’s spawned dozens of euphemisms. Here are a few of them.

Atlanta’s culture doesn’t just resonate to the suburbs—it hits every corner of the country. But there’s always a chance you could get caught off guard while visiting, so here’s a handy sampler of terms to know if you decide to hold it down in A-Town.

Know what to say when you visit Little Rhody.

Familiarize yourself with these 13 expressions and your Ocean State stay will be that much smoother and more satisfying.

'Lady with a Parasol' by Impressionist Hamilton Hamilton.

Why be sweltering and sunburnt when you can be swoly and birsled instead?

Social media has been buzzing about "main character energy" for years, but what does it actually mean?

This list is your Annie Oakley to fitting in at the carnival.

Start slipping these terms into conversation and watch as your friends bally about how great talking to you is.

The origins of the 1940s phrase 'cooking with gas' aren't clear-cut.

If you want to know what it was like to strike up a casual conversation in this mid-20th-century decade, we’re going to tell it like it is—with a list of the words and phrases any eager beaver would know well. Ready to find out what’s buzzin’, cousin?

Behold: Denver Airport's 'Mustang' statue—or as Denverites call it, 'Blucifer.'

There are some very specific terms surrounding cow smells, elevation, and a sculpture that killed its own artist.

From Farts to Floozy: The Funniest Words in English, According to Science

13 Old and Obscure Terms for the Butt

The Surprisingly Long History of the Word ‘Yo’

21 Old and Odd Directional Words

How Did ‘Jones’ Come to Mean ‘Craving’?

Why Is Sneakily Leaving Called an “Irish” Goodbye or Exit?

Benjamin Franklin’s Long List of Synonyms for ’Drunk‘

30 British Slang Terms You Should Know

Jawns and Shower Oranges: See 30 of Dictionary.com’s Newly Added Terms

77 Delightful Victorian Slang Terms You Should Be Using

20 Delightful Slang Terms From the 1930s

15 Obscure Words That Are Pure Fire

Hubcaps vs. Rims: What’s the Difference?

20 ASL Signs You Don’t Want to Mix Up

15 Dutch Slang Terms You Should Know

7 Fun and Fascinating Pieces of Back Slang

11 Successful (and Silly) Euphemisms for the F-Word

20 Atlanta Slang Terms You Should Know

13 Rhode Island Slang Terms You Should Know

13 Old-Timey Synonyms for ‘Hot’ to Bring Back This Summer

Is ‘Main Character Energy’ a Real Thing? Here’s What It Is—and How To Tell if You Have It

16 Excellent Bits of Carnival Slang to Add to Your Vocabulary

18 Gobbledygook-Free 1940s Slang Terms

14 Denver Slang Terms You Should Know