Gen Z and Gen Alpha Slang Explained for Everyone Else
In 2023, Oxford University Press named "rizz" its Word of the Year. In 2024, it chose "brain rot." Two years, two words mostly spread by teenagers online — and both now in major dictionaries.
If you've heard "no cap," "sigma," or "skibidi" and nodded politely, this guide is for you.
The Counterintuitive Truth: Much "New" Slang Is Older Than You Think
Lots of Gen Z slang wasn't invented by Gen Z. Words like "bet," "cap," and "lit" have roots in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), hip-hop, and Black online communities, sometimes going back decades.
Social media spread them to wider audiences. We call this slang migration: words moving from specific communities into mainstream youth culture — often without credit to their origins.
Gen Z Slang (Born ~1997–2012)
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rizz | Charm, especially romantic | "He's got rizz." |
| No cap | No lie, for real | "That was amazing, no cap." |
| Bet | Okay, deal | "Meet at 5?" "Bet." |
| Slay | Did amazingly | "You slayed that outfit." |
| Lowkey | Somewhat, secretly | "I lowkey love this." |
| Highkey | Very, openly | "I highkey need sleep." |
| Mid | Mediocre | "The movie was mid." |
| Ate | Did brilliantly | "She ate that performance." |
| Delulu | Delusional (playfully) | "I'm delulu about this concert." |
| Situationship | Undefined relationship | — |
Gen Alpha Slang (Born ~2010 onward)
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Skibidi | Nonsense word from Skibidi Toilet videos; can mean cool, bad, or weird |
| Sigma | A lone, self-reliant "cool" person (often ironic) |
| Ohio | Weird or cursed ("that's so Ohio") |
| Fanum tax | Taking a friend's food |
| Aura | Social coolness points |
| Gyatt | Exclamation of surprise |
| Mewing | A jawline trend, now also a "stay quiet" gesture |
| Brain rot | Low-quality content, or its effect |
Try translating a sentence: Gen Alpha Translator · Skibidi Translator
What Does "Rizz" Actually Mean?
Rizz means charm or the ability to attract someone, usually romantically. It's widely believed to come from the middle of "charisma." Streamer Kai Cenat helped popularise it online. "Unspoken rizz" means charming without saying anything.
Where Does "Skibidi" Come From?
Skibidi Toilet is a YouTube animated series that began in 2023, created by Alexey Gerasimov (channel DaFuq!?Boom!). It features singing heads in toilets battling camera-headed characters. The word "skibidi" spread as an all-purpose nonsense term among children.
That's nonsense currency: a meaningless word valued precisely because adults don't understand it.
Why Slang Changes So Fast
- TikTok and YouTube spread words globally in days.
- Irony — words become jokes, then jokes about jokes.
- Adult adoption — once parents use a word, it loses cool.
- Gaming and streaming create shared vocabulary instantly.
Tips for Adults
- Don't overuse it. Understanding is better than performing.
- Ask with curiosity. Kids often enjoy explaining.
- Expect change. Today's slang may be "cringe" next year.
- Respect origins. Many terms come from AAVE and specific communities.
Older Generations Had Slang Too
| Era | Slang |
|---|---|
| 1920s | "The bee's knees" |
| 1940s Jive | "Hep cat," "solid" — Jive Translator |
| 1980s Valley Girl | "Like, totally" — ValSpeak Translator |
| 2000s Internet | "LOL," "pwned" — Leet Speak Translator |
| 2020s | "No cap," "skibidi" |
We call this generational remix: every generation reinventing ways to say "cool" and "that's embarrassing."
What Experts Say
Lexicographers at Merriam-Webster and Oxford now monitor social media closely, noting that slang spreads faster than ever. Linguists often point out that youth slang isn't a sign of declining language — it's evidence of creativity and social bonding.
Where Slang Is Heading
Gen Beta (born from 2025) will grow up with AI assistants and voice-first devices. We predict their slang will include words born from interacting with AI — phrases mocking chatbot language, the way Gen Alpha mocks "NPC" behaviour today.
Get ahead of the joke with the NPC Speak Translator and Corporate Speak Translator.