slang word
1
9.9
- noun
- /slæŋ wɜrd/
- Slang
:
palabra de argot
- Teachers often find it challenging to understand the slang words that their students use.
- use of slang words
Examples
-
She said, "You're not really used to going and writing proper English papers when you're texting; you want to use lingo or slang words, so I think writing for classes should be a little more lenient toward that."
Academic text (2015) -
Seems to me it must be a slang word I've heard in older western films: "The ole coot fell down the mine shaft."
Blog text (18) -
A new slang word was created by John Miller, who went on to win the poetry prize at our high school graduation.
Fiction book (2002) -
What were your favorite slang words when you were not where you're at now in life?
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When Webster broke this convention and included slang words in his dictionary, critics accused him of polluting the English language.
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Non-indigenous slang words have meanings that are recognized by the hearer, but the pejorative associations aren't necessarily there.
Blog text (11) -
Many teenagers use various slang words to communicate with each other online.
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In recent years, new slang words related to technology have emerged rapidly.
Synonyms
49
7.9
Informal words used by a group and not for formal situations
5
7.2
A word or phrase people use in everyday speech, not formal writing
2
9.5
An informal word or phrase used in speech by a certain group, not in formal language
1
9.1
An informal word or phrase used in casual speech, not for formal situations
How Informal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'slang word' is transparently built from 'slang' (informal language) modifying 'word' (a unit of language), so its meaning 'a word used in very informal language' is directly derivable by combining the constituents. This attributive modifier + noun pattern is common cross-linguistically and should be immediately clear to a B1 learner who knows both words.
Etymology
Slang word comes from groups making special, often secret speech. The part slang suggests playful or secret talk and word is the unit of language, so imagine friends using a secret code word, which is why it means 'a very informal word used by a particular group'.