Chillax! Here’s your guide to conversing through the winter holidays.
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Nate Iglehart Staff writer
Stephen A. Smith glazed the GOAT LeBron. Timothée Chalamet rizzed Kylie Jenner with his dope smile and curls. Chappell Roan locked in at that concert and absolutely ate!
’Tis the time of year when members of multiple generations gather with their families and catch up on what’s happening in their lives and the world. But if the sentences above don’t make much sense, you might need some help ahead of your holiday get-together.
Why We Wrote This
As the generations gather for the holidays, communication could be a challenge. We’ve got you covered with glossaries for Generation Z and millennial slang.
Herewith, a guide to what you might hear from millennials and Generation Zers while you eat dinner, binge holiday movies, and laze around the fireplace. (Note: Some of this slang crosses generational lines or has been borrowed from bygone eras or modern cultures. Just know that “groovy” won’t ever come back in style.)
Expand the story to see the full guide.
Stephen A. Smith glazed the GOAT LeBron. Timothée Chalamet rizzed Kylie Jenner with his dope smile and curls. Chappell Roan locked in at that concert and absolutely ate!
’Tis the time of year when members of multiple generations gather with their families and catch up on what’s happening in their lives and the world. But if the sentences above don’t make much sense, you might need some help ahead of your holiday get-together.
Herewith, a guide to what you might hear from millennials and Generation Zers while you eat dinner, binge holiday movies, and laze around the fireplace. (Note: Some of this slang crosses generational lines or has been borrowed from bygone eras or modern cultures. Just know that “groovy” won’t ever come back in style.)
Why We Wrote This
As the generations gather for the holidays, communication could be a challenge. We’ve got you covered with glossaries for Generation Z and millennial slang.
Gen Z glossary
fire, gas (adjectives): excellent; delicious. This ham is fire. And these peas are gas!
lock in (verb): to focus. Nothing ickier than yanking out turkey giblets, but I gotta lock in and take one for the team!
ate (verb): did something extremely well. I absolutely ate at the office’s winter yodeling contest!
in one’s bag: used to describe someone who pulls off something impressive. Gramps was in his bag with this gift idea. I’ve wanted heated underwear since forever!
cap (verb): to lie. That’s cap! (interjection): used to say something is false. Does this Santa suit make me look fat? Don’t cap!
high-key (adverb): used to emphasize strong feelings. We high-key despised the Grinch for stealing little Cindy Lou Who’s Christmas.
rizz (verb): to charm or woo someone (short for “charisma”). Dad rizzed Mom with one of his seasonal jokes:
Knock, knock!
Who’s there?
Freeze!
Freeze who?
Freeze, a jolly good fellow!
glaze (verb): to praise excessively. Cousin Chester’s gravy was goopy, but we glazed it anyway.
tea (noun): juicy gossip. I wanted the tea about Uncle Rupert’s messy breakup. He spilled it all in his holiday newsletter.
Millennial glossary
slay (verb): to do something very well. Granny, you really slayed this turducken!
ghost (verb): to abruptly end all communication with someone without warning; to stand up someone. We were supposed to meet under the mistletoe, but Greta ghosted me.
GOAT (noun): greatest of all time. Mom macraméd an 8-foot-tall Mrs. Claus to hang on our front door. She’s the GOAT of Christmas decorators.
salty (adjective): bitter, annoyed, disgruntled. Year after year Milo loses the ugly Christmas sweater contest. No wonder he’s salty.
glow-up (noun): a positive physical transformation. Aunt Myrtle made everyone get a glow-up for her holiday photos. No more at-home haircuts!
chillax (verb): to relax. Turkey with all the fixin’s put us in a food coma. Now it’s time to chillax in our stretchy pants and watch QVC.
dope (adjective): cool, awesome. You built a gingerbread Great Wall of China? That’s dope!
flex (verb): to show off. Whenever he has a captive audience, Felix loves to flex his collection of exotic snow globes.
extra (adjective): over the top. My family’s tradition of dressing up in matching pajamas, singing Mariah Carey songs, and watching “Home Alone” is sooo extra. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Happy holidays!
