From “No cap” to “period”, the list of slang terms and social media abbreviations used among Gen Z, especially those still in their teenage years, only appears to be growing longer by the day.
These words, now firmly tied into younger people’s vocabulary, have swept social media in recent years, leaving older generations mystified.
Some of these words have recently even become valid answers to earn you some points in a game of Scrabble, including nibling, a gender-neutral term for nieces and nephews (a blend of niece or nephew with sibling).
• Read more: Why is Gen Z suddenly jealous of millennials?
So what are some of the popular slang terms used by the young cohort who have literally grown up in the digital age? Here’s a list of Gen Z terms and their meanings.
Out of Pocket
While Millennials, Gen X and Boomers believe this term simply means broke or being left with less money, or even just plain unavailable, it takes on a whole new meaning for Gen Z. Out of Pocket translates to “out of character” or “wild and unhinged”.
Period
The term ‘period’ is also likely to be misinterpreted. Despite those in the US using it to reference a full stop, younger individuals, particularly Americans, now take it to also mean something is final or non-negotiable.
The period "has lost its original purpose because, rather than needing a symbol to indicate the end of a sentence, you can simply hit send on your message," Gretchen McCulloch, linguist and author of the book Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language, told NPR. Using it can now therefore “indicate seriousness or a sense of finality”.
Touch grass
Another term that has gained notable popularity online in recent years is ‘touch grass’ – ironically, the expression advises that someone should spend time outdoors, disconnect from technology, and engage more with the physical world. This can be achieved by connecting with nature.
The term is commonly used as an insult to those attached to their devices.
Era
Era is at least a Gen Z term not so far removed from its popular definition – though, of course teens have taken a step further when using it. It refers to a period of time in a person's life, no matter how short, that is characterised by something distinctive, such as a particular emotional state, relationship, achievement, or interest.
Dictionary.com has used the example: “She’s started wearing all black now that she’s in her sad girl era.”
Brat
The brat concept first became tied to Kamala Harris after English singer Charli XCX declared “Kamala IS Brat”, in an X post shortly after then-president Joe Biden announced he would be stepping down from the presidential campaign last year.
But the most commonly thought of definition when ‘brat’ is used, referring to someone defiant and spoilt, has been flipped on its head for much of Gen Z. For many teens, the word has now come to mean icon, celebrating someone embracing authenticity and confidence.
The term has become far bigger than even Charlie XCX might have imagined and is used in various forms, including Brat Winter, Brat summer, Brat era.
Goat
Goat is an abbreviation for Greatest Of All Time, a term predominantly used in reference to sports stars.
The Cambridge dictionary says it describes the person who has performed better than anyone else ever and used the example, “Hamilton may end up being the GOAT as far as I can see.”
No Cap
Though No Cap has attracted popularity just recently, it was in use by at least the 2010s in the lyrics of hiphop artists from Atlanta, Georgia, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary. Its site states: “No cap is a slang expression meaning ‘genuinely; truthfully,’ used to emphasise the sincerity or seriousness of a statement.”
Stan
To be a Stan is to be a zealous fan of a celebrity, musician or public figure. It is thought that stans tend to exhibit their admiration to an excessive degree, though the term has more recently often been bandied about.
The verb can therefore also imply engaging in any degree of fandom.
Rizz
The term that stormed TikTok in 2023 seems to have stuck around.
Rizz, which some people have speculated is short for charisma, was credited as being popularised by Twitch streamer Kai Cenat, and is one’s ability to attract a romantic interest.
One Urban Dictionary definition previously claimed: “Rizz actually comes from the word charisma where, in southern Baltimore, they’ve started to shorten it to ‘rizzma’ (the noun replacing charisma) and to ‘rizz’ (the action of showing charisma.)”
