slang
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slang¹
- /ˈslæŋ/
- [ˈslæŋ]
- /ˈsleɪ̯ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈsleɪ̯ŋ] ~ /ˈslɛ̃ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈslɛ̃ŋ] Canada, US
Rhymes with -æŋ
Where it comes from
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”).
noun slangs
- Language outside of conventional usage and in the informal register. 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.
- Language that is unique to a particular profession or subject; jargon.
- The specialized language of a social group, sometimes used to conceal one's meaning from outsiders; cant. "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."
- A particular variety of slang; the slang used by a particular group. [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.
- An item of slang; a slang word or expression. Anyway, I have learned many slangs while I am in New York, and one of them, a remarkable slang, is sheister.
- A curse word. 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.
Similar: vernacular, jargon, lingo, cant
verb slangs · slanging · slanged
- To vocally abuse, or shout at. Also, he had to keep his temper when he was slanged in the theatre porch by a policeman.
slang²
- /ˈslæŋ/
- [ˈslæŋ]
- /ˈsleɪ̯ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈsleɪ̯ŋ] ~ /ˈslɛ̃ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈslɛ̃ŋ] Canada, US
Rhymes with -æŋ
verb
- simple past of sling Before he slang the all-deciding stone[…]
slang³
- /ˈslæŋ/
- [ˈslæŋ]
- /ˈsleɪ̯ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈsleɪ̯ŋ] ~ /ˈslɛ̃ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈslɛ̃ŋ] Canada, US
Rhymes with -æŋ
noun slangs · slanket
- Any long, narrow piece of land; a promontory. There runneth forth into the sea a certaine shelfe or slang, like unto an out~thrust tongue.
slang⁴
- /ˈslæŋ/
- [ˈslæŋ]
- /ˈsleɪ̯ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈsleɪ̯ŋ] ~ /ˈslɛ̃ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈslɛ̃ŋ] Canada, US
Rhymes with -æŋ
Where it comes from
Compare sling.
noun slangs
- A fetter worn on the leg by a convict.
- A counterfeit weight or measure.
- A travelling show, or one of its performances.
- A hawker's license.
- A watchchain.
slang⁵
- /ˈslæŋ/
- [ˈslæŋ]
- /ˈsleɪ̯ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈsleɪ̯ŋ] ~ /ˈslɛ̃ŋ/ Canada, US
- [ˈslɛ̃ŋ] Canada, US
Rhymes with -æŋ
Where it comes from
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.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: cant, jargon, vernacular, lingo, take in, dupe, argot, befool, fool, put on, cod, patois, gull, whang, whanger, colloquialism
noun
Similar: vernacular, jargon, lingo, cant
Translations
Every language
noun unconventional language
| Español | argot, jerga, germanía, replana |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 속어 sogeo, 은어 euneo |
| 日本語 | 俗語 zokugo, 俚言 rigen |
| 中文 | 俚語 /俚语 lǐyǔ, 行語 /行语 hángyǔ |
| Português | calão, jargão, gíria |
| Français | argot, langue verte, jargon |
| Deutsch | Slang, Umgangssprache |
| Ελληνικά | αργκό argkó |
| Română | argou, jargon, slang |
| Русский | сленг sleng, жарго́н žargón, арго́ argó, фе́ня fénja, разгово́рная речь razgovórnaja rečʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | tiếng lóng, biệt ngữ |
| עברית | עגה agá, להג láhag, סלנג |
Talk about this word "slang." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/slang. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. slang. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/slang "slang." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/slang.Cite this
@misc{slang_2026,
title = {slang},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/slang},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
