Don’t know your lit from your drip?
Each generation has their own set of slang, which, to everyone else, can feel like an entirely different language.
And, this miscommunication is even more obvious in the workplace.
Recent LinkedIn data found that there’s a huge gulf between Gen Z and their older colleagues, and one in five Gen Z-ers haven’t spoken directly to someone over the age of 50 at work in over a year.
And, while the majority of professionals fee they have a lot to learn from other generations, nearly a fifth said they wouldn’t know where to start when it came to approaching a colleague that wasn’t their workmate.
But if you want to feel a little more comfortable around the younger cohort, recent analysis of Google search data found the most unknown Gen Z slang – and we’ve got the definitions.
Despite this being named the Oxford English Dictionary word of the year for 2023, rizz hasn’t quite made it into common parlance.
Short for charisma, it refers to the confidence and finesse someone has (or doesn’t have). It’s also linked to the ability someone has to flirt or attract a sexual partner.
It’s believed Twitch streamer Kai Cenat popularised the term.
Example: ‘He’s got so much rizz.’
This term originated in drag and ballroom culture and likely gained prominence among Gen Z across the world because of hugely popular shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race.
If you’re snatched it means your look (i.e. outfit, makeup or your general aesthetic) is amazing.
Example: ‘Your contour looks snatched today.’
We’re not talking about fruit and veg here. This term means someone looks stylish, and while Gen Z might claim it as their own, Millennials know that Will Smith made this a thing back in the ’90s when he moved in with his auntie and uncle in Bel Air.
Example: ‘That guy’s new trainers are so fresh.’
This is another word that originated in drag and ballroom culture thanks to the LGBTQ community, just like snatched.
It gained initial prominence in the film Paris Is Burning, which is about voguing, and has now become mainstream as a phrase for when someone has done exceptionally well.
It can also be used as a one word expression of celebration or congratulations.
Example: ‘She really slayed her presentation in the meeting today’.
If someone is boujee they love the luxurious and comforts of a fancy lifestyle. Designer clothes and accessories are always on show.
It may be used ironically, such as if a colleague decides to splurge a fiver on an iced latte.
Example: ‘I’m gonna be extra boujee and grab a Pastéis de Nata’.
Gen Z and Millennials use this phrase to compliment an entire outfit. It specifically references their clothes, accessories, and confidence.
It’s one example of slang that has originated from African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and was popularised in hip hop music.
Example: ‘Your outfit is on fire, that drip is on point’
Short for swagger, this word conveys someone’s impeccable fashion and confidence. It’s sometimes used as a way to end a braggadocious statement.
Example: ‘I got a hot sauce in my bag, swag.’
When something is exceptionally good or exciting, it’s lit. Older generations might have used off the chain or poppin’ instead.
But thanks to contemporary hip musicians like Travis Scott, who has made the word part of his catchphrase, it’s now often heard among Gen Z.
Example: ‘Have you heard Ariana Grande’s new album Eternal Sunshine? It’s lit.’
Perhaps the most confusing term to define on the list, while some may associate the term with throwing an object, it has a different meaning for younger people.
It’s a fluid term than can mean anything form ‘yes’ to simply an utterance of excitement or approval in the place of ‘cool’
Example: ‘Yeet!’
Reality dating shows such as Love Island gave this term widespread prominence. It describes the sudden feeling you dislike a potential romantic partner because of something seemingly innocuous they do.
Example: ‘He was so rude to the waiter last night, it’s totally given me the ick’.
A lot has been said about Gen Z’s attitude towards working the typical 9-to-5 as well as their obsession with lowercase letters.
Journalist Louis Staples weighed in on the topic and discussed what it was like managing the youngest generation in the workforce.
‘Turning up late and not answering emails promptly were two major offences that wound me up,’ he previously told Metro.co.uk.
‘Initially, I found myself acting like one of those crimson-faced Boomers who posts on nostalgia Facebook groups about ‘proper binmen’ and insists you ‘can’t say anything!’ anymore.
‘”I would never have behaved this way to my boss!” I thought, nostalgic for the work ethic of my youth.
‘But as time went on, I realised the truth is that, yes, Gen Z can be ‘annoying’ in the workplace. But they’re often annoyingly right about a lot of things, too.
‘When I first entered the working world, I was too scared to take lunch breaks and was always staying late.
‘I’d work longer hours than I should to impress people up the chain-of-command who’d long forgotten I existed.
‘I knew something had to change when I went to the GP about a pain in the right side of my neck and ear, which even painkillers couldn’t help. The cause? Nothing physical, the doctor told me. It was stress.’
Do you have a story to share?
Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
Get your regular dose of need-to-know lifestyle news and features by signing up Metro's The Fix newsletter
2024-03-25T16:51:48Z dg43tfdfdgfd