Slang that changed with the times

You probably use at least one of these slang words. Which one is it?

Image: Nick Fewings

Every decade had its own way of talking. From flappers sipping "giggle water" to Gen Z spilling the "tea," slang has always captured the mood of the moment. Some phrases faded, others stuck around, and a few might just make a comeback. So let’s take a stroll through time and revisit the lingo that defined each generation. Who knows? You might find yourself saying "cowabunga" again by the end!

Image: Boston Public Library

The Roaring Twenties weren’t just about jazz and flappers, they were a goldmine for slang. With the prohibition, people needed new ways to call the everyday things.

For example, when someone needed a drink, they'd grab some "giggle water" (aka booze). And if something gave them the creeps? That was the "heebie-jeebies." With Prohibition in full swing, nightlife went underground and the language got wildly creative..

Image: Brett Jordan

The Great Depression may have hit hard, but Americans still found ways to have their fun and talk the talk.

Back then, a "cat" wasn’t your house pet; it was a cool, swing-loving person. Something elegant or flashy? That was "ritzy." Despite the tough times, slang added a touch of glamour to everyday life.

Image: The New York Public Library

World War II shaped everything in the ’40s, from fashion to film and yes, slang too. For example, a stunning woman was a "bombshell" (remember pin-up posters?), and if someone had charm or finesse, they were "slick."

This was a decade of heroes, hustle, and Hollywood glamour, where talk was tough but stylish. Slang from this time still turns heads, and honestly? Some of these words are still in use today.

Image: Brett Jordan

The postwar boom brought shiny cars, drive-ins, and a new breed of teenager. If the kids were underfoot, you might call them "ankle-biters." And if the party was a snooze? Total "Dullsville."

The 1950s language reflected the optimism and suburban sprawl of the era, with just enough rebellion to keep things interesting. It was all milkshakes, jukeboxes, and just a little teen angst.

Image: Annie Spratt

The '60s were a whirlwind of change, civil rights, Vietnam, Woodstock… And the language was just as bold. If you wanted someone to relax, you could tell them to "hang loose." If you wanted to hear all about the juicy gossip, you said, "lay it on me."

Slang became a badge of youth culture and counterculture. Whether you were protesting or partying, the right phrase could say it all without saying too much.

Image: Eric Ward

Welcome to the land of disco balls and bell-bottoms. In the ’70s, if you looked sharp, you were "decked out." And if you were saying goodbye? "Catch you on the flip side."

This was a groovy era with laid-back vibes and just enough glitter to keep it funky. These are just a few examples!

Image: Brian Kostiuk

Neon colors, arcade games, and Valley Girls? Yep, we’ve made it to the ’80s. If someone was getting too worked up, you told them to "take a chill pill." And if things were awesome? "Cowabunga!" (Ninja Turtles vibes, right?)

Slang from this era was so fun… The wave of pop culture, MTV, and outrageous fashion. Admit it: You still hear "like, totally" in your head sometimes.

Image: Bernd 📷 Dittrich

The ’90s were a mix of dial-up tones and grunge rock, and the slang was laid-back with attitude. Messed up? Just say "my bad." Found something great? It was "da bomb."

This was the golden age of sitcoms, slap bracelets, and the first steps onto the internet. The lingo was casual, a little goofy, and perfect for a generation that loved irony with their flannel.

Image: Nik

Ah, the early 2000s… Back when phones flipped and everyone was choosing their "Top 8" on MySpace. Your "BFF" (best friend forever) was a must, and to wind down, you’d "chillax" (a combination of "chill" and "relax"). It was a mash-up era, and the slang followed suit. Y2K didn’t end the world, but it definitely changed how we talked.

Image: freebie

With the rise of social media, everyone became fluent in internet speak. "Throw shade" meant giving someone a subtle (or not-so-subtle) dig, and "mood" was shorthand for anything you could relate to.

Emojis weren’t just extras, they were also part of the language. The 2010s gave us the meme culture, and with it, a whole new way of expressing ourselves in fewer words than ever.

Image: Kelly Sikkema

We may only be partway through the 2020s, but Gen Z has already left its linguistic mark. If someone’s being dramatic, they’re "extra." And if there’s gossip to share? Time to "spill the tea."

The lingo is fast-moving, TikTok-powered, and always evolving. You don’t have to use it, but understanding it earns serious cool points with the grandkids.

Stock up on short words

Did you know you can use these words in Scrabble? Unusual 3-letter words

Need a few tricks up your sleeve for playing Scrabble? It’s not always the long words that will impress the other players: Sometimes it’s the surprisingly short combination of letters that none of them knew. Have you ever heard of unassuming three-letter words like "cwm" or "zax"? Those aren’t typos! Let’s explore some of the most obscure –yet perfectly valid– three-letter words.

Before you ask: it’s pronounced "koom". If you run out of vowels in your Scrabble set, this might save you. It refers to a deep, steep-walled valley, often carved by glaciers.

The term comes from Welsh, where it simply means "valley." Many places in Wales proudly bear the name, such as Cwmbran, a town in South Wales, or Cwmtwrch, a village with a name that translates to "Valley of the Wild Boar."

A "zax" is a tool used for cutting or trimming roof slates with precision. The word shares linguistic roots with seax, an Old English word for a short sword or knife.

Plus, in Scrabble, the mighty "Z" (10 points!) paired with "A" (1 point) and "X" (8 points) makes this one of the highest-scoring three-letter words you can play!

No, it’s not a mythical sea creature. "Voe" refers to a small bay or narrow creek that extends inland from the sea. These sheltered inlets are particularly found in Scotland, where they provided safe harbor for fishermen and sailors for centuries.

Some of these sailors were Vikings who once ruled the territory, and who called these bays with the Old Norse word vágr (bay or inlet.)

If you ever see a rowdy, loudmouthed troublemaker being kicked out of a bar in Britain, you might hear someone call them a "yob."

Here’s the funny part: There’s no Old English etymology involved. It’s just "boy" spelled backwards (a bit of Cockney slang trickery).

A very specific noun, but a valid one. A "pyx" is the container used in churches to hold consecrated bread.

The term comes from Latin pyxis, meaning "small box," which in turn derives from the Greek pyxos, a type of boxwood tree. Those three letters combined would earn you at least 15 points!

Have you ever seen the interior of a rock lined with dazzling, beautiful crystals? You might have been looking at a vug.

It’s a small cavity inside a rock that often exposes these pockets of hidden treasures, like quartz, amethyst, or more exotic gems. The word vug comes from the Cornish language, where vooga meant "cave" or "hollow."

Sure, playing "OK" is useful, but have you tried "Oka"? It’s a type of cheese from Canada, and also a historical unit of weight used in Turkey.

The cheese is named after the village of Oka in Quebec, where Trappist monks started making it in the late 19th century.

Gox might sound like the name of some sci-fi character. But it’s just a short abbreviation to refer to "gaseous oxygen."

"O₂" is the more common way to represent it, but "gox" is sometimes used by those in scientific and industrial contexts.

To be fair, you could pluralize any two-letter word by adding an S. "Xis" (the plural of the 14th Greek letter Ξ ξ) is no exception.

Just so you know, "xi" is not the translation of our "X," as you might think. What we call an "X," the Greek would call a "chi."

"Ait" is mostly used in Britain to describe little landmasses that pop up in waterways, like those dotting the Thames.

The word (sometimes spelled eyot) comes from Old English iegoth, meaning "small island." Though it’s not common in everyday speech, you’ll still find it in place names and historical writings.

Before they fully mature, newts crawl on land: this is when we call them efts. These tiny, bright-colored amphibians can be found around damp forests, looking like pocket-sized dragons.

The word eft has been around for centuries, coming from Old English efeta, which evolved to ewt, and ultimately to newt.

The gnu (pronounced "new" or "guh-noo") is better known as the wildebeest, that sturdy African antelope famous for its dramatic migrations across the Serengeti.

The word gnu comes from the Khoisan languages of southern Africa and was first recorded by European explorers in the 18th century. The alternative name wildebeest is the Dutch word for "wild beast," of course.

"Nix" means to reject, cancel, or put an end to something. The word comes from the German nichts, meaning "nothing."

It entered American English in the 19th century, likely through German immigrants. Over time, it became a snappy, no-nonsense way to say "no."

An "ulu" is a traditional Inuit knife with a characteristic curved blade, perfect for chopping, skinning, or even cutting a child's hair (yes, really).

The name comes from the Inuktitut word ᐅᓗ (ulu), which roughly translates to "woman’s knife"

because it was traditionally used by Inuit women for household and hunting tasks.