Refine this word faster

Stronger alternatives Opposite tone Use in context Cross-language nuance

Editorial Guides For "slang"

Using Modern Slang in Marketing Without Sounding Forced

Apply internet and pop-culture language safely in social and brand campaigns.

Related Topic Clusters

Slang and Modern Internet Language

Current social vocabulary with context, tone guidance, and formal alternatives.

Slang

//slæŋ// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Language outside of conventional usage and in the informal register. countable, uncountable

    "She was amused by his talk, which was simple, straightforward, rather humorous and keen, and interspersed with homely expressions of a style which is sometimes called slang."

  2. 2
    Any long, narrow piece of land; a promontory. UK, dialectal

    "There runneth forth into the sea a certaine shelfe or slang, like unto an out~thrust tongue."

  3. 3
    A fetter worn on the leg by a convict. UK, obsolete
  4. 4
    a characteristic language of a particular group (as among thieves) wordnet
  5. 5
    Language that is unique to a particular profession or subject; jargon. countable, uncountable
Show 9 more definitions
  1. 6
    A counterfeit weight or measure. UK, obsolete, slang
  2. 7
    informal language consisting of words and expressions that are not considered appropriate for formal occasions; often vituperative or vulgar wordnet
  3. 8
    The specialized language of a social group, sometimes used to conceal one's meaning from outsiders; cant. countable, uncountable

    ""Oh, there are so many superior teas and sugars now. Superior is getting to be shopkeepers' slang. / "Are you beginning to dislike slang, then?" said Rosamond, with mild gravity. / "Only the wrong sort. All choice of words is slang. It marks a class." / "There is correct English: that is not slang." / "I beg your pardon: correct English is the slang of prigs who write history and essays. And the strongest slang of all is the slang of poets.""

  4. 9
    A travelling show, or one of its performances. UK, obsolete, slang
  5. 10
    A particular variety of slang; the slang used by a particular group. countable

    "[F]or a detailed analysis see Liberman (2008 157ff) who sees it as one of a number of terms found in pan-European slangs meaning concealment and/or cheating."

  6. 11
    A hawker's license. UK, obsolete, slang
  7. 12
    An item of slang; a slang word or expression. countable

    "Anyway, I have learned many slangs while I am in New York, and one of them, a remarkable slang, is sheister."

  8. 13
    A watchchain. UK, obsolete, slang
  9. 14
    A curse word. India, countable

    "Such attempts were made even more aggressive by the fact that these local women were known for picking fights easily and using slangs to verbally abuse their neighbours."

Verb
  1. 1
    To vocally abuse, or shout at. dated, transitive

    "Also, he had to keep his temper when he was slanged in the theatre porch by a policeman."

  2. 2
    simple past of sling archaic, form-of, past

    "Before he slang the all-deciding stone[…]"

  3. 3
    To sell (something, especially illegal drugs). Multicultural-London-English, transitive

    "Everyday I wake up gotta get back to the gwop Just another fuckin day in that gangway slangin rocks"

  4. 4
    abuse with coarse language wordnet
  5. 5
    fool or hoax wordnet
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    use slang or vulgar language wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

First use appears c. 1756, meaning "special vocabulary of tramps or thieves", origin unknown. Not believed to be connected with language or lingo. Possibly derived from a North Germanic source, then possibly related to Nordic language: Danish slænge, Icelandic and Norwegian Nynorsk slengja, Norwegian slenge, Swedish slänga (“to (carelessly) sling, throw, hurl; throw away, to dispose of; to flail”), with derivational nouns such as slæng, sleng, släng etc. Compare the compound: Danish slængenavn, Norwegian slengenavn, Norwegian Nynorsk slengenamn, Swedish slängnamn (“nickname, byname, informal name”, literally “sling-name”), and the phrases: Norwegian Nynorsk slengja kjeften, Swedish slänga käften (“to abuse verbally”, literally “to sling one's jowl”), Swedish slänga ur sig (“to say something hastily, carelessly, thoughtlessly”, literally “to throw out of oneself”), also Swedish (regional) slänga (“careless, nonchalant girl”, literally “sling + feminine suffix -a”).

Etymology 2

First use appears c. 1756, meaning "special vocabulary of tramps or thieves", origin unknown. Not believed to be connected with language or lingo. Possibly derived from a North Germanic source, then possibly related to Nordic language: Danish slænge, Icelandic and Norwegian Nynorsk slengja, Norwegian slenge, Swedish slänga (“to (carelessly) sling, throw, hurl; throw away, to dispose of; to flail”), with derivational nouns such as slæng, sleng, släng etc. Compare the compound: Danish slængenavn, Norwegian slengenavn, Norwegian Nynorsk slengenamn, Swedish slängnamn (“nickname, byname, informal name”, literally “sling-name”), and the phrases: Norwegian Nynorsk slengja kjeften, Swedish slänga käften (“to abuse verbally”, literally “to sling one's jowl”), Swedish slänga ur sig (“to say something hastily, carelessly, thoughtlessly”, literally “to throw out of oneself”), also Swedish (regional) slänga (“careless, nonchalant girl”, literally “sling + feminine suffix -a”).

Etymology 3

Compare sling.

Etymology 4

The same as sling which is also used in this sense. The vowel exhibits the lowering of /ɪ/ before /ŋ/ distinguishing for African American Vernacular English, as in thang for thing, but the word has spread with this pronunciation outside the accents that exhibit this feature.

See also for "slang"

Synonyms Antonyms Rhymes Sentences Translate Word Type Pronunciation Word Forms

Next best steps

Find stronger synonymsSee usage examplesCheck pronunciation

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: slang