Has a student ever called you “Bruh”? Or have you ever scratched your head trying to figure out what “skibidi” means?
Student slang seems to change by the minute, making it tricky to keep up with the latest terms hitting the hallways.
We asked educators on social media to share the slang terms they wish students would stop using, and they did not hold back. Over 360 comments poured in on Facebook and LinkedIn with educators wanting to add their nominations.
Some teachers don’t think slang is distracting, even going as far in some cases to ban it from the classroom. But, as Jill Davidson, a school psychologist, noted in a LinkedIn comment, slang can “enrich our language, [and] encourage creativity. It’s important to know what they mean and how they’re used.”
To help educators better understand the most popular and prevalent slang, we’ve rounded up the top 10 terms teachers told us they are sick of hearing. We put together definitions for each one and selected videos of teachers explaining how this inscrutable, secret language is used in schools.
Sigma
/sɪɡmə/
This is a slang term for “the best” and can be used to describe someone who is an alpha male.
Drip
/drip/
It is often used to describe clothes or accessories that are cool or stylish.
Ate
/ate/
The verb is used to used to praise someone for doing something well or having good style. The phrase “4+4" can also be used in the same way as “ate.”
Bruh
/brə/
This word is mostly used as a friendly way of referring to someone, especially a male friend, or as a way of expressing surprise or disagreement.
Skibidi
/skɪ.bɪ.di/
This can be used to mean “cool” or “dumb” or “bad” depending on the context and is typically used as a filler word. It originated from a YouTube videos series called ‘Skibidi Toilet’ that featured animated talking heads.
Delulu
\dih-loo-loo\
The term is a shortened version of the word “delusional.” Most often it is used to accuse someone of having faulty judgment.
Low-key
/lōˌkē/
An adverb meaning “secretly” or without intense emotions. It can also be used to describe doing something modestly or moderately.
Bet
/bet/
It’s often used to mean “OK” and is used to express agreement, affirmation, or approval.
Crash out
/kraSH out/
A slang term meaning to become hysterical and do something reckless, or to pass out from exhaustion.
Rizz
/riz/
This term is a shortened version of “charisma” and refers to a person’s charm or attractiveness.
