Getty Images / manyakotic
Do you ever feel like people in a different generation are totally alien to you? You're not alone. There's some Gen Z slang out there that's leaving some people scratching their heads. It can be daunting to spend time with your little niece or nephew just to find out you have no idea what they're talking about because they're using a different vocabulary than you've ever heard before. But, don't fret. We have some top Gen Z slang phrases and what they mean, so you can sound cool around the youngsters.
Top Gen Z Slang Phrases
So, how old is Generation Z? As with the start and end dates of all generations, it gets a little murky, but in general, researchers say Gen Z was born from the late-1990s to early 2010s. Most people in the Gen Z generation have parents who are Generation X or Millennials. Britannica.com states that Generation Z is a "term used to describe Americans born during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Some sources give the specific year range of 1997–2012, although the years spanned are sometimes contested or debated because generations and their zeitgeists are difficult to delineate." If you're wondering about some other generations, Britannica.com states that Millennials were mainly born between between 1981 and 1996 , and Generation X were generally born between 1965 and 1980.
So, what are some hot words used by Generation Z? The experts at education website Quizgecko did the research to took at search trends and find out which Gen Z words were searched for the most each month, meaning people have been trying to figure out what these trendy words mean. Their study found that the most searched-for Gen Z slang word is "rizz," with 673,000 searches trying to figure out its meaning every month. So, what does the word mean? According to Quizgecko, "On TikTok and other social media platforms, 'rizz' denotes a talent for seduction and comes from the word 'charisma.'" Another heavily searched-for word was "pookie," which Quizgecko says, "On TikTok, 'pookie' is often used as an affectionate nickname or term of endearment for a loved one, such as a romantic partner, friend, celebrity, or pet."
Looking at a few more hot Gen Z slang phrases and words, "OOMF" is short for "one of my followers," which Quizgecko says is "usually used on X and TikTok to talk about one of your followers without mentioning their name." This is a fun one: "Beige flag" means "something that's neither good nor bad but makes you pause for a minute when you notice it and then you just continue on, something odd." Finally, "moots" is "short for mutuals. It’s when you follow someone and they follow you back." So, thanks for reading, pookie.
[select-listicle listicle_id="659284" syndication_name="how-to-tell-if-youre-in-the-xennial-generation" description="no"]
