“Delulu?” “Drip?” “Fanum tax?”
If you feel like the teens and pre-teens around you sound like they’re speaking a different language, don’t feel bad. You’re just getting a taste of Alpha Gen slang.
Generation Alpha, or Gen Alpha, is the generation of people born between 2010 and 2025. It’s the first generation to be born entirely in the 21st century, with the internet fully immersing their lives from birth on.
So, you might expect their language to reflect that. The only problem is understanding them.
Or, if you’re a teacher, trying to keep the slang to a less annoying minimum.
More: Did an Iowa school accused of banning slang like ‘Ohio’ and ‘rizz’ violate free speech?
But fear not, we’ve put together a list of some of the more popular Gen Alpha slang to help you decipher what’s going on.
They still won’t think you’re cool, though.
Sorry. We can only do so much.
What are those darn kids saying?
Here’s some of the more popular Alpha Gen slang:
Ate/eats: If you say someone “ate,” it means you are saying that they did something exceptionally well or deserving of praise, according to Keyhole. “Did you hear Charli XCX’s latest album? She ate.”
Aura points: “Aura points” refer to a lighthearted way of measuring coolness, based on a TikTok trend, according to Polygon. “Did you see her new shoes? She definitely just gained some aura points.”
Cap/No cap: To “cap” means to “lie, to boast, or to front,” according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary (although this meaning hasn’t officially made it yet). “No cap” means you are being truthful or honest. “Joe said he didn’t take my food, but I think that’s cap.”
Delulu: Shorthand for “delusional.” For example: “She thinks he’s going to ask her out, but she’s totally delulu.”
Drip: Drip means cool, stylish or fashionable clothing, according to Arizona State University. If someone is “dripped out,” it means they are dressed stylishly. “I just went to the mall and bought some new drip.”
Fanum tax: The act of stealing someone’s food without their permission. The origin comes from online comedy creator Fanum, who is a part of streamer and Youtuber Kai Cenat’s “influencer crew,” according to Business Insider. Fanum is known for jokingly taking other’s food and calling it a “tax.” “I took his fries when he wasn’t looking — he had to pay the Fanum tax.”
Goat: An acronym meaning “Greatest of all time.” LeBron James is the goat. He’s been goated since he was in Cleveland.
Gyatt/Gyat: Gyatt or gyat (Ge-yaht) is used to express strong excitement, surprise, or admiration, often in reference to seeing a large butt, according to Dictionary.com. It can also be used as a term by itself for a large butt.
Looksmaxxing: “Looksmaxxing” is an online movement dedicated to maximizing your physical appearance, often through a variety of techniques including improving your jawline, skincare and muscles, according to The BBC. “Riley’s been obsessed with looksmaxxing videos on TikTok lately.”
Mewing: Mewing is looksmaxxing technique aimed at improving your jawline by holding your tongue on the roof of your mouth, according to the BBC. Mewing comes from a controversial British orthodontist named John Mew. who developed a practice called “orthotropics.” According to the BBC, there is little evidence supporting its effectiveness. “Dude, are you seriously mewing right now? Are you looksmaxxing?”
Mog: To “mog” someone is to be significantly more attractive than them, and thereby lower their attractiveness in comparison, according to Vice News. “He mogged everyone else at the party with his drip.”
Ohio: No, they aren’t really talking about the Buckeye state. Unfortunately for Ohioans, “Ohio” has a slang meaning of strange, weird, cringe or dumb. The origin likely originates from a number of memes like “it’s all Ohio,” or “Can’t even X in Ohio” that circulated in online culture in the 2020s, according to Know Your Meme. “Did you see how she was dressed at school today? She’s so Ohio.”
Rizz: A shortening of the word “charisma,” used to state that someone has success in attracting romantic partners, according to Merriam-Webster. “He spent the entire party rizzing up the girls.”
Rizzler: A rizzler is someone who is successful at flirting with people, according to The New York Times.
Sigma: A “sigma” (based on the Greek alphabet) is a male who has overcome the hierarchy of “alpha” and “beta” males, often characterized by silent success, or someone who is a social outcast by choice and “plays by their own rules,” according to Know Your Meme. Colloquially, it can just mean good or best.
Skibidi (Skibidi Toilet): “Skibidi” refers to a series of surrealist videos popular on Youtube, which features an army of human-headed toilets fighting a war against another army of camera-headed men, according to Forbes. Skibidi as a slang word is largely meaningless and simply a reference to the video series.
Slay: If you “slay” something, it means you do it particularly well, according to Dictionary.com. “Did you hear Charli XCX’s latest album? She’s slay.”
Stand on business: Standing on business (sometimes spelled ‘standing on bidness), means to take care of your responsibilities or put your money where your mouth is, according to USA TODAY. “I told you I was going to do that; I stand on business.”
What’s up brother? Saying “what’s up brother,” accompanied with raising your index finger upward, is a reference to the popular streamer Sketch, who uses the expression as a sort of catchphrase, according to USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What does sigma mean? A guide to Gen Alpha slang