Internet slang moves fast — a term can go from niche to mainstream to “your uncle just used it” in a matter of months. This glossary covers the terms with real staying power, explained clearly.
Core Slang Terms
Rizz — Short for charisma; the ability to attract or flirt with someone smoothly. “He’s got no rizz” means someone is awkward when flirting.
Delulu — Short for delusional, usually used self-deprecatingly or affectionately about someone believing something unrealistic (often about a crush). “Delulu is the solulu” is a common ironic follow-up phrase.
Gyat — An exclamation, often used reactively, loosely tied to noticing someone’s appearance. Meaning has broadened and softened significantly from its origin.
NPC — Borrowed from gaming (“non-player character”), used to describe someone acting robotic, generic, or without independent thought — sometimes literally, referring to “NPC streamers” who repeat scripted reactions on livestreams.
Mid — Mediocre, average, unimpressive. “That movie was mid” means it was neither good nor bad.
Cap / No Cap — “Cap” means a lie; “no cap” means “I’m not lying” or “for real.”
Ate (and left no crumbs) — Means someone did something exceptionally well, with “left no crumbs” as an intensifier meaning they did it flawlessly.
Girl Dinner / Girl Math — Originally described informal, snack-based meals, “girl math” extended the joke to humorous, non-literal reasoning about spending decisions (e.g., “it was on sale, so it was basically free”).
Core (as a suffix) — Attached to words to describe an aesthetic, e.g., “cottagecore,” “goblincore,” “corecore” — signals a specific visual/emotional vibe rather than a literal category.
Understood the assignment — Means someone did exactly what was expected of them, and did it well — often used about outfits, performances, or content.
Reaction & Format Terms
POV — “Point of view,” used to frame short videos as if the viewer is experiencing a specific scenario.
Main Character Energy — Acting like the protagonist of your own story; can be used sincerely (confidence) or sarcastically (self-absorbed).
Ick — A sudden feeling of being turned off by someone, often triggered by something small and specific.
Beige Flag — A quirky, neutral personality trait, playing off “red flag”/”green flag,” used humorously for oddly specific habits.
Why Slang Moves This Fast
Most modern slang originates on TikTok or in gaming communities, gets tested in comment sections, and either dies within weeks or gets amplified by creators into mainstream use — a cycle that’s dramatically faster than pre-social-media slang formation.
This glossary is updated as new terms gain traction and older ones fade — bookmark this page for reference.
More Gen Z Slang, A to Z
Aura: someone’s overall vibe or coolness. ‘Losing aura’ means doing something embarrassing; ‘aura points’ are scored for being effortlessly cool.
Bet: ‘okay’, ‘deal’, or ‘for sure’.
Brain rot: the feeling (or the content) of endless, low-quality scrolling; also used for very online, nonsensical humour.
Bussin’: really good, usually about food.
Cooked: doomed or in big trouble. ‘I’m cooked’ before an exam you didn’t study for.
Fanum tax: jokingly taking a bite of someone else’s food.
Glazing: over-the-top praise of someone, often in a mocking way. ‘Stop glazing him.’
It’s giving: it has the vibe of. ‘This outfit is giving old Hollywood.’
Let him cook: let someone keep going because they might be onto something good.
Lowkey / highkey: slightly or secretly / very or openly. ‘I lowkey love this song.’
Mewing: a jawline exercise trend; also the ‘shh’ hand gesture people make to show they can’t talk because they’re mewing.
Rent free: something you can’t stop thinking about. ‘That song lives in my head rent free.’
Sigma: an ironic label for a lone-wolf, self-reliant ‘cool guy’; mostly used jokingly.
Situationship: a romantic relationship with no clear label or commitment.
Slay: to do something brilliantly or look great.
Touch grass: go outside and log off; said to someone too deep in online drama.
W / L: a win or a loss. ‘Free food is a massive W.’
Yap / yapping: talking a lot, often about nothing.
Slang That’s Already Fading
Slang ages fast. Terms like ‘on fleek’, ‘yeet’ and ‘basic’ are now mostly used ironically or by people trying a little too hard. If you’re a parent or teacher, using any slang term sincerely will probably retire it even faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does rizz mean?
Charm or flirting skill. Someone with rizz is good at attracting people. It was named Oxford’s Word of the Year in 2023.
Where does Gen Z slang come from?
Much of it comes from African American Vernacular English (AAVE), LGBTQ+ ball culture, gaming and streaming communities, then spreads through TikTok and memes.
