r/words

I grew up with the first four words that could be used to describe a muscular dude. So when I first heard the newer slang term “chopped “ I had trouble taking it as having a negative connotation. It means ugly for those who might not be as hip to the kids’ lingo as I am. Did anyone else mistake this new slang for the same reason? Are there any other current slang terms that don’t seem to fit because of some associations you make because of the slang you grew up with?

Depending on whether you have autocorrect turned on stricter or looser, you now see two types of spelling mistakes:

- one (or more) letter differenses because of a typo or genuinely not knowing how the word should be spelled.

- complete weird words that don't fit the sentence, either because someone accidentally hit the autocomplete bae, or because autocorrect flushed again.

(I added the mistakes as illustration)

For the longest time (until today) I thought it was pronounced Compare-a-bull, but I was informed today that it's actually pronounced Comp-urr-a-bull.

Anyone else?

METROSEXUAL comes to mind

A word that came around in the early 2000's and disappeared by the 2010's due to the changes in attitudes towards fashion, masculinity and gender norms.

Can you think of others from any era?

trump (v.) trumped, trumps

to trump /trəmp/ — informal, pejorative

1. To fail so comprehensively, publicly, and inexplicably that the failure becomes a unit of measurement in itself.

2. To disappoint an entire nation — or species — simultaneously, such that the embarrassment transcends any one individual and becomes a shared generational memory.

3. (used comparatively, often as reassurance) To serve as the lower bound against which all other failures are measured.

Etymology: Origin disputed; possibly derived from a proper noun, though speakers rarely agree on which one, or whether the confusion is the point.

Usage:

“I really trumped that presentation.”
“Yeah, he dropped the ball — but hey, at least it wasn’t a full trump.”

Synonyms: botch, flub, faceplant (historic)
Antonyms: nail it, stick the landing

Note: Often used with a weary shrug rather than genuine anger — the emotional register of someone pointing at a low bar and saying “well, we cleared that, at least.”

When I met my husband (late 80’s), he was using this word to refer to a tv remote. I picked it up and we still refer to it that way, but I’ve never heard it anywhere else. Have you?

EDIT: I'm loving all the comments with various other names for a remote control!

clicker

zapper

flipper

doofer

squeaker

gizmo

the controls

the power

so let’s say you were just walking down the road, and very suddenly, the cutest girl/ most handsome boy you’ve ever seen walks right up to you, and kisses you deep, the leaves, you would obviously be very surprised and shocked for a long time, that period of being surprised is called going through suprisition.

pronounced (soo-pru-sish-on)

in a sentence: the most random thing happened to me… it was so weird, I had to go through suprisition!

Where the first part repeats itself? (assass)inate

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I am looking for a word for the title of a book, so it can't already be taken

Additionally I hope for it to sound really cool and unique. I was thinking sonder, but that's already taken and I don't want to risk copying. Any other ways to come up with titles are appreciated as well, Thanks!

Some things about my life, caribbean, ocean, sea, sand, beach house, surfclub, club, studio, presence, health, growth

I'm looking through words but it all feels too basic but trying to find something that connects with the above

One word or two

IT's for a brand that's about producing music

as in gigantic
unusually large

This is borderline triggering for someone who suffers from Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.

like. subpoenaed. i like when it does that. i tried to find some but there weren't very many can i have some plz

edit: i also like interesting words that you wouldn't hear in everyday conversations. it's not relevant to my post so you can get mad at me it's ok but i like things like nanoangstrom and interrobang(?!)

I've just come across this idiom in one of John Sandford's novels (set in what seems to be Minnesota), and I'm entranced. it has the feel of a regionalism, but I'd like to check in hopes someone here can confirm.

usage: basically, any dismissive statement where just the word "fuck" or "forget" would have done. "fuck a bunch of that. let's do this instead." one character tells someone something about lawyers, and he says "fuck a bunch of lawyers" and punches the speaker, or tries to. you get the idea.