slang

slang — noun

1. words and phrases that people use in casual conversation with friends, rather th

1.nounB1
Definition

words and phrases that people use in casual conversation with friends, rather than in formal writing or polite public speech — for example, saying 'gonna' instead of 'going to' or calling a friend 'buddy'.

Example

Lakan picked up a lot of London street slang from his older cousins.

pick up + slang: acquiring informal language

The teacher told her class that slang is fine with friends but not in essays.

Common collocations
  • street slang
  • youth slang
  • teenage slang
  • use slang
  • pick up slang
  • slang word
  • slang term
  • a piece of slang
Synonyms
  • informal language

    a broader, more neutral term for any casual speech

  • colloquialism

    refers specifically to conversational words or phrases, often regional

  • vernacular

    the everyday language of ordinary people, broader than slang

Antonyms

Usage Note

Slang is an uncountable noun, so it has no plural form. Instead of saying 'slangs', use 'slang words' or 'slang terms' to refer to individual items.

Common Mistakes

I learned many slangs from my classmates.
I learned a lot of slang from my classmates.
Slang is uncountable and does not take a plural -s.
Slangs are fun to learn.
Slang is fun to learn.
Use a singular verb because slang is uncountable.

2. the special vocabulary used by people who belong to the same profession, hobby,

2.nounB2
Definition

the special vocabulary used by people who belong to the same profession, hobby, or social circle, which outsiders may find hard to follow — for example, the slang used by surfers, soldiers, or computer programmers.

Example

Medical slang among doctors can be confusing for a new nurse.

[domain] slang among [group]: specialized group vocabulary

The computer programmers used slang that only their team could understand.

Common collocations
  • medical slang
  • military slang
  • prison slang
  • computer slang
  • legal slang
  • slang for [something]
Synonyms
  • jargon

    more neutral and technical; the specialized terms of a profession

  • argot

    secret slang of a closed group, often with a criminal connection

  • cant

    older term for the hidden language of thieves or beggars

  • lingo

    informal word for any specialized or unfamiliar language

Antonyms

Usage Note

This sense overlaps with 'jargon' but has a more informal feel. While 'jargon' is neutral for any specialized field, 'slang' in this meaning often suggests the vocabulary is unofficial or playful rather than technical.

Common Mistakes

The doctor used many slangs that I did not know.
The doctor used a lot of medical slang that I did not know.
Slang is uncountable; specify the domain (medical, legal, etc.) for clarity.

slang — verb

Word family

  • slanging
    verb (present participle) or nounC1
  • slanged
    verb (past tense)C2
  • slangy
    adjectiveB2
  • slanginess
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe types of language, but they differ in scope and connotation. Slang is informal, often playful vocabulary used within a social group — words like 'chill' for 'relax' or 'bucks' for 'dollars'. Jargon is the technical vocabulary of a profession (legal jargon, medical jargon) and carries a neutral, specialist tone. Argot refers to secret slang of a closed group, especially criminals, designed to exclude outsiders. Cant is similar but older and narrower — historically the secret language of thieves and beggars, now rarely used. Dialect is a full regional variety of a language with its own grammar and pronunciation, far broader than slang — for example, a speaker of Yorkshire dialect might say 'nowt' instead of 'nothing'. Vernacular means the everyday language of ordinary people in a region, as opposed to formal or literary language. In short: dialect and vernacular cover entire ways of speaking, while slang, jargon, argot, and cant pick out smaller, specialized vocabularies within a language.

jargon ↗argotcant ↗dialect ↗vernacular

Common collocations

Nouns

  • slang word
  • slang term
  • slang expression
  • slang phrase
  • slang dictionary

Phrases

  • a piece of slang
  • a bit of slang
  • full of slang

Prepositions

  • slang for [meaning]
  • in slang
  • slang among [group]

Etymology

Uncertain origin (possibly Scandinavian)English

The origin of 'slang' is uncertain. It first appeared in English in the mid-1700s, referring to the special vocabulary of criminals and the poor. Some scholars connect it to the Scandinavian word 'slengja' (to sling or throw), suggesting a sense of 'slinging words around casually'. Others link it to the French 'langue' (language). By the 1800s, 'slang' had broadened to mean any informal, non-standard vocabulary used by a particular social group.