Why is everyone suddenly tweeting about OK boomer? What is that Baby Yoda meme all up in our feeds about? And who are Becky and Karen, anyways?
Oh, we’ve got this.
We love keeping up with the latest terms in slang and getting to the bottom of the funniest, strangest, and, yes, thorniest trends in pop culture and social media. We love it so much, in fact, we maintain our own slang dictionary dedicated to them—and it just got a fresh, new look. (It’s looking pretty on point if you ask us.)
So, we thought we would highlight some of our faves from our updates in the last six months or so. Remember, not all of these terms themselves are brand new; we’re just showing ‘em off as new additions. Because slang.
WATCH: Words That The Internet Has Changed
First off, what is the slang dictionary?
Now, we consider the definitions in our slang dictionary informal. That is, the words aren’t defined and entered like terms are in our core dictionary (you know, the one on the homepage), but instead we provide a little more backstory and context about them in a more casual format. If you’re curious, here’s how words get into our good ole traditional dictionary.
But, entries in our slang (and our other nontraditional dictionaries) are still thoroughly researched, carefully defined, and rigorously fact-checked—just written with a more casual tone. That way, we’re not—and you’re not—droppin’ VSCO girl into convos only to be met with that dreaded, eye-rolling response, “Um, that was SO last year.”
What’s more, many of the slang terms we define do go on to get their very own, official dictionary pages. And of course, many won’t, as they are but moments, even if much buzzed about on Twitter, in the discourse. Sorry, Hype House …
Alright, without further ado, here are 20 of our favorite new additions with their definitions. Be sure to click on the heading for more info, and sign up for our Slang Decoder so you never miss a beat!
and I oop
And I oop is a viral phrase from a video by drag queen Jasmine Masters. It has since become stereotyped as a catchphrase of VSCO girls. And I oop or I oop can be playfully used to express shock, surprise, or embarrassment.
Baby Yoda
Baby Yoda is the popular name for a character known as the Child in the Star Wars TV series The Mandalorian. He is a member of the same species as the beloved Star Wars character, Yoda. Baby Yoda‘s adorable, lovable appearance helped make the character a widespread meme online.
Becky
Becky is a stereotype for a white woman, especially one who is unaware or takes advantage of her social privilege. Becky is also used more generally to mock a young white woman as “basic.”
big mood
Online, people post big mood as a way to react to or describe something they find relatable or resonant in some way. Big mood can at once capture a feeling at a specific moment but also comment on a broader sentiment about life in general. (Yeah, existential stuff … )
Big mood is also often posted with a joking, judgmental, cheerful, or ironic tone in reaction and in response to content that is variously seen as quirky, genuine, dramatic, or ridiculous.
cancel culture
Cancel culture refers to the popular practice of withdrawing support for (canceling) public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive. Cancel culture is generally discussed as being performed on social media in the form of group shaming.
Cheetle
Cheetle is the brand name for the powdery residue that gets on your fingertips while eating the savory cheese snack, Cheetos®.
chef’s kiss
Chef’s kiss is a gesture and expression meant to show something is perfect or excellent. The gesture is made by pinching the fingers and thumb of one hand together (often in an OK sign), kissing them, and then tossing them dramatically away from the lips. Its tone can be sincere or ironic.
hold my beer
Hold my beer is an expression joked about being said before an unthinking person does something dangerous or stupid. On the internet, hold my beer is used to make fun of decisions (that are seen to be bad) made by public figures or companies.
Hype House
Hype House is a collective of young social media content creators and influencers who are especially popular on the video app TikTok. It is also the name of the mansion in Los Angeles the group uses and some members live in.
Karen
Karen is a mocking slang term for an entitled, obnoxious, middle-aged white woman. Especially as featured in memes, Karen is generally stereotyped as having a blonde bob haircut, asking to speak to retail and restaurant managers to voice complaints or make demands, and being a nagging, often divorced mother from Generation X.
manther
A manther is the male version of a cougar, or a middle-aged woman who has the hots for younger men. Manthers are older men who pursue partners significantly younger than them.
Megxit
Megxit is a slang term for the decision of couple Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to step back from their senior roles in the British royal family.
OK boomer
OK boomer is a viral internet slang phrase used, often in a humorous or ironic manner, to call out or dismiss out-of-touch or close-minded opinions associated with the baby boomer generation and older people more generally.
porch pirate
A porch pirate is a thief who steals packages delivered to front doorsteps or porches. They especially strike during the holiday season, when people order many gifts online for home delivery.
Rapinoeing
Rapinoeing is a viral victory pose named after professional soccer superstar Megan Rapinoe. It involves raising and outstretching the arms at an angle in a confident, joyful display.
self-partnered
Self-partnered is an alternative for the word single as a relationship status. It was popularized by Emma Watson in a November 2019 interview with Vogue.
sksksk
Sksksk is an interjection used to convey surprise, happiness, and other intense emotions. It’s stereotyped as an overused expression of VSCO girls on social media.
sportsball
The goalie dribbles into the outfield for a touchdown! Sportsball is a mildly critical or humorous term used by people who admit they don’t know or care about sports. Sports fans sometimes use it, too, as a playful way to refer to sports they like.
VSCO girl
VSCO girl is a term, generally used as an insult, for a young, usually white woman who posts trendy pictures of herself edited on the app VSCO.
Stereotypes of the VSCO girl include wearing scrunchies and Birkenstock sandals, drinking out of Hydro Flask reusable water canisters, saying sksksk and (and) I oop, and generally seeking attention online.
zoomer
A zoomer is an informal term for a member of Generation Z, born in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It can be used with a neutral, mocking, or ironic tone.
Want to discover more? Check out our emoji, memes, pop culture, and gender and sexuality dictionaries—and much more!
