slang
slang Lexical Profile
slang Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A type of language consisting of very informal words and phrases that are more common in speech than in writing and are typically restricted to a particular context or group of people.
"Teenagers frequently invent new slang that their parents struggle to understand."
• verb
British To attack or verbally abuse someone using loud, coarse, or insulting language.
"The two rival drivers stood on the pavement slanging each other after the minor collision."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the general body of informal vocabulary, "slang" is an uncountable mass noun; use "a slang word" or "a slang term" rather than "a slang" to refer to a single expression.
• Rhymes for slang
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the mid-18th century to refer to the specialized cant of thieves and vagabonds, possibly related to Scandinavian words such as Norwegian "slengja" (to sling the jaw) or "slengjeord" (a newly coined or insulting word).