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Glite Dictionary
slang expression

slang expression

1 9.1
An informal word or phrase used in casual speech, not for formal situations
  • noun
  • /slæŋ ɪkˈsprɛʃən/
  • Slang
translation icon : expresión coloquial
  • The teacher asked the students not to use any slang expressions in their essays.

Examples

  • What does that slang expression mean?

  • She used a slang expression that I had never heard before.

  • Teenagers often invent new slang expressions to communicate with each other.

  • He used a slang expression that I didn't understand.

  • Many teens use the slang expression 'lit' to describe something exciting.

  • The phrase 'throwing shade' is a popular slang expression in modern conversations.

  • In our group, saying 'that's a vibe' has become a common slang expression.

Synonyms

slang
vsslang expression
  • Slang
49 7.9

Informal words used by a group and not for formal situations

is about specific casual items rather than the whole informal language
colloquialism
vsslang expression
5 7.2

A word or phrase people use in everyday speech, not formal writing

is more tied to subcultures and less suitable for formal situations
slang term
vsslang expression
  • Slang
2 9.5

An informal word or phrase used in speech by a certain group, not in formal language

is informal but focuses on casual speech rather than group identity
slang word
vsslang expression
  • Slang
1 9.9

An informal word or phrase used by a group of people

is informal and often more about style than formal acceptability

How Informal

vulgar term
  • Offensive
9.8
slang expression
  • Slang
1 9.1

Surface Forms

slang expression singular
slang expressions plural

Morphology

slang + expression

The meaning is directly composed from 'slang' (informal words or expressions) + 'expression' (a way of communicating), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to an informal phrase used in casual speech. This noun–noun composition is common and cross-linguistically transparent, making the sense predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

Slang expression may come from the picture of the word slang sounding like 'slung', as if special words are thrown quickly between friends, and the word expression just means a phrase. That's why slang expressions mean 'informal words or phrases used in casual speech by a small group'.