The march of time is ruthless, one moment you are young and cool and the next you are ‘the old people’. It starts slowly and creeps up on you, suddenly you no longer recognise the names of artists in the charts and a whole glossaries-worth of new slang terms are being used here, there and everywhere.
If you’ve started noticing your kids using the hip new slang words they’ve come across on the internet - or TikTok, they have probably come from TikTok - you might be wondering what they mean. And more importantly if they are saying things that are not age appropriate!
So we have dived into the depths of urban dictionary and KnowYourMemes to find out what some of the hottest internet slang words actually mean! Make sure to click through all the pages of our gallery below!
1. Internet slang
Find out what some of the most popular internet slang words/ phrases in 2024 actually mean - and what your kids are actually saying | Kaspars Grinvalds - stock.adobe.
2. Rizz
A very popular bit of slang at the minute, it is derived from the more familiar word charisma. It is used to refer to someone who has “game” when it comes to romantic pursuits. | A_B_C - stock.adobe.comPhoto: A_B_C - stock.adobe.com
3. Aura
One that has become increasingly popular in 2024, according to KnowYourMeme it is used to “compliment individuals, often athletes, for their high level of magnitude, ability, or perceived power”. With the Euros still going on, you might have heard your kids using it. | Jo Panuwat D - stock.adobe.comPhoto: Jo Panuwat D - stock.adobe.com
4. Sus
Even those of us who are more seasoned in years can probably work this one out - yes, it is short for suspicious. It apparently was popularised by the hit video game Among Us - and that’s why your kids might be using it. | Rymden - stock.adobe.comPhoto: Rymden - stock.adobe.com
5. Yap
Chit chat, chatterbox, prattle, yakking, every generation has its own slang for when someone won’t stop talking. To yap is to talk too much and for those who keep on yapping, they might be called a yapper. Guess we will have to think up a new word to describe the barks of small dogs. | Astarot - stock.adobe.comPhoto: Astarot - stock.adobe.com
6. Glazing
Apparently nothing to do with baking, glazing is used to describe when someone is overhyping something. For example: England fans are glazing Jude Bellingham’s goal. According to KnowYourMeme it has exploded in popularity after it migrated to TikTok in the last year or so. | A_B_C - stock.adobe.comPhoto: A_B_C - stock.adobe.com