Teachers: Ever feel like students – today’s teenagers – are speaking a different language from you? Well guess what? They are. The slang or the “lingo” as we like to call it at the Warrior Wire, used today seems to always change without a second’s notice. For those who just can’t seem to keep up with the terminology of the teens, here is a glossary or “cheat-sheet” to help decipher the seemingly indecipherable (and altogether original) utterances of today’s Gen Zers. Who knows, before long you, too, dear teachers, might be both “valid” and “Pushing P.”

Mid: Average. Basic. Nothing special; “Invictus is so mid.”

Pushing P: Doing something respectable; Person 1: “Did you see what Curran did?” Person 2: “Yeah he’s pushing p”

Slay: You “killed it”; “Omg Elizabeth, you slayed your Warrior Wire story.”

I’m weak: you think something is really funny; Person 1: *tells a funny story* Person 2: “I am so weak” 

Ate: Like “slay,” it means that you did great on something; “You really thought you ate that, didn’t you?”

Purr: A contracted version of “Periodt”; Person 1: “I just got these new shoes.” Person 2: “purrrrr.”

Outta pocket: the person you’re talking to has said something out of line; “Woah chill, that was outta pocket.”

“Material Girl” (noun): someone who is into buying or showing off what they buy; “Caroline loves rocking her Louis Vuitton. She is such a material girl.”

Bussin: something that is really good; “This Otter’s is bussin.” 

Hit: something was good or amazing; Context: You’ve just consumed some really tasty pizza. “That food hit.”  

Bye: A dismissive response to give when someone says something out of pocket; Person 1: “I love Burger King!” Person 2: “Bye”. 

Jail: used when someone says something crazy; Person 1: “Invictus is much better than Wire.” Person 2: “Jail.”

The vid: used as an abbreviated, slang term for the infamous COVID-19 virus; Person 1: “Where’s Henry been?” Person 2: “You didn’t hear? He caught the vid last week.”

I’m crying: Lol is old news. I’m crying is a modern, yet comedic response to something worth laughing about; Person 1: “Midtown’s football was so bad they had to dissolve their team.” Person 2: “I’M CRYING!”

Lowkey: a subtle, yet not so subtle, way to say you really want to do something; “I lowkey want Willy’s right now.”

Dead: a response to something funny and/or wild; Person 1: “I swear, I almost fell asleep during history.” Person 2: “lol i’m dead.”   

Felt that: means you understand or relate to something; Person 1: “I love the Warrior Wire so much.” Person 2: “Felt that.” 

Cap: something that is false or untrue; Person 1: “Mr. Stenger is the second best teacher in the school.” Person 2: “Cap. He’s the best.” 

Bop: a good song; “Hall & Oates songs are such bops.”

Slaps: something that is good; “This Fresca slaps.” 

Spitting: Dropping a good point in a conversation; “That guy is spitting facts.”

Twin/Twininem: best friend; person you’re matching with; “Ava and Rollins are twins!”, “Omg we are matching today. Such twininems.”

L: big loss; “The baseball team took a big L from Westlake.”

Out bad: doing something no one would do, can’t recover from it; “Wyatt is so out bad for that.”

Extra: doing too much; “OMG Carly is so extra!” 

Tea: drama or gossip; Person 1: “Did you hear what happened at the football game last night?” Person 2: “No I wasn’t there. Tell me the tea!”

Slept on: underrated and underhyped; “NAHS girls lax is slept on.”

Valid: legit and respected; “Senor Williams is valid.”

Caught in 4K: exposed with irrefutable proof; “We caught him cheating in 4k.”

Understood the assignment: did something really well; “The student section always understands the assignment.”

Drip/drippy: to have style, stylish; “Mr. Stenger is so drippy.”  

Caught lacking: being caught doing something you don’t want other people to see; “Lizzie from Invictus was caught lacking.”

Say less: quickly agree to do something; Person 1: “You should read the Wire.” Person 2: “Say less.” 

Pull up: come to an event; “Party at the NAHS rooftop pool, pull up.”  

What’s the addy?: What’s the address for the event/party/gathering? “Yo, send me the addy, I want to pull up.” 

What’s the move?: What’s happening tonight, or what’s the plan? “It’s Friday night, what’s the move?”

Go off: express your opinion; “Omg go off Kate!!!!!” 

Plug: Someone who regularly hooks you up with something you need; “He’s my homework plug.”

It’s giving ______ : it reminds you of something; “Invictus is giving missed deadlines.” 

Pipe down: Calm down, chill out; “Bro, pipe down. You wildin’ right now.”

It’s not that deep: Blown out of proportion or made to be a bigger deal than necessary; “Stop complaining, it’s not that deep.”

You’re done: when someone does something annoying and needs to stop; Person 1: “Invictus is so much better than Warrior Wire.” Person 2: “you’re done.”

Canceled: to make someone irrelevant; “A lot of celebrities are getting canceled.”  

Secure the bag: get something you want, get money; Person 1: “I babysat a lot this weekend.” Person 2: Nice job, securing the bag.” 

Down bad: Embarrassingly thirsty or desperate for something; Not to be confused with “Out bad”; “Invictus is so down bad for the coolness of Warrior Wire.” 

Fold: give in to something you shouldn’t have; “Hugh folded for Invictus when he heard free pizza was involved.”