If you’ve been left baffled by hearing young people in your life describing everything and anything as ‘skibidi’ you are not alone.
According to a study by the Oxford University Press, 15 per cent of 1,200 children said ‘skibidi’ was their favourite word, with ‘slay’ following close behind, and this week the Gen Alpha slang became one of 6,000 new words added to the Cambridge Dictionary.
To make things ultra confusing, skibidi has different meanings such as ‘cool’ or ‘bad’ or can be used with no real meaning as a joke.
The term was coined by the creator of a video series titled Skibidi Toilet on YouTube, featuring animated heads appearing out of lavatories in February 2023. The bizarre clips feature an army of singing toilets, all which have human-heads (Skibidi toilets), battling it out against a rival troop of camera-headed men (Cameramen).
Its popularity was sealed when Kim Kardashian showed a necklace on Instagram given to her as a present engraved with the words ‘skibidi toilet’.
‘That’s skibidi’ can carry multiple meanings and could be used to express disgust, great admiration, disdain or even bewilderment among Gen Alpha – those born between 2010 and 2024.
‘Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary,’ Colin McIntosh, a lexicographer at Cambridge Dictionary, said. ‘It’s not every day you get to see words like skibidi and delulu make their way into it. We add words only where we think they’ll have staying power.’
The dialect used by the younger generation is always bound to be different to that used by those who’ve been around for longer
But if you did not understand a word of that, or other nonsensical words – do not be alarmed.
A handy guide to the chronically online is at hand so that dinner conversations with those half your age are no longer half-understood.
Gen Alpha dictionary
Alpha male
Applied to a dominating man, often a bully, despite this being perceived as a positive trait in incel communities. Based on more primal hierarchies, this is inspired by qualities of the leader of the pack. They also believe that these characteristics are what women are biologically hardwired to desire. Alpha male discourse is often related to the manosphere and are typical followers of what Andrew Tate believes in.
Aura
This is used to describe stylishness and confidence but is also ‘vibe based’. When used in sport or in entertainment, aura is displayed when they perform well or succeed.
Aura farming
You can gain ‘aura points’ when you do something impressive and then lose them when you are embarrassing. When you are ‘aura farming’ you are putting on a more cool persona to be seen as more impressive and therefore gain more ‘aura points’. This is also widely used in gaming communities, with some of the most popular aura-farmers being Piccolo, Gon, and Sangwoo. With these connotations, it can be both an insult and a compliment to be called an ‘aura farmer’. ‘Auramaxxing’ is also a spin-off from this term which looks at how to better improve your appearance but is related to the controversial ‘looksmaxxing’
Based
It is said to mean someone who is authentically themselves, but the application of it is quote loose to refer to anything that is good, correct or impressive.
Beg
Someone trying to act too cool or sucking up to another.
Bestie
A colloquial phrase to call a friend.
Beta male
This is more traditionally considered an insult in the incel community as it is someone who is not assertive or masculine enough in their eyes. They are also often overlooked by women but will also be someone who believes in feminism and is therefore acting as a ‘white knight’.
Other strange new words to have materialised are ‘sigma’ which can have varying meanings
Blackpill
Those who have a nihilistic view of the world, often related to incels. If you are ‘blackpilled’ you believe there is nothing in the world that can improve yourself and are doomed to a life of rejection and unhappiness.
Brainrot
What we’re all her for! It describes both the mindless and addictive content online as well as its effect on the user whose brain is rotting as a consequence.
Brat girl summer
Inspired from Charli XCX’s album ‘brat’, this is all about having fun and letting loose, while also potentially having an emotional breakdown.
Broligarchy
This merges the words ‘bro’ and ‘oligarchy’ and defined as ‘a small group of men, especially men owning or involved in a technology business’.
Bussin
A positive term for anything good, cool or delicious.
Chad
Another word to describe an alpha male.
Cooked
This has negative connotations, often suggesting something is done or dead in the water. ‘We are cooked’ or ‘cooked in the chat’ suggests there is nothing to be done, we are in trouble, or there is no hope in this situation. ‘Let him cook’ also means let the person think or allow him to keep going until he is done, although this can be used sarcastically if someone says something bad. However, ‘we cooked them’ will be used to say we beat them or insulted them.
Content creator Summer Fox, from London, decided to text her 12-year-old cousin to test her knowledge of words popular with those in their teens and early twenties but was surprised by how few she knew
Cuck
Used more generally as an offensive insult but originated from the word ‘cuckold’ which describes a man whose wife or girlfriend is unfaithful.
Delulu
A play on the word delusional, defined as ‘believing things that are not real or true, usually because you choose to’ in the Cambridge Dictionary.
Fake news
Taken from the very real phenomenon of fake news as well as President Donald Trump’s declarations, it is now used in Gen Alpha sentences to say that something is a lie.
Fanum tax
When one friend steals food off another. The term was created when one streamer (x), Fanum, jokingly ‘taxed’ food from other content creators during streams.
Femcel
A woman who is frustrated at a lack of sexual relationships however does not have as extreme ideologies as its counterpart, incels, and is usually rejected from this community.
Despite hvaing violent origins, the word ‘slay’ now means something cool, amazing or surprising
Five big booms
Saying the word boom five times consecutively with a flexed arm is used to express excitement or anticipation. First coined by the ‘Costco Guys’, the booms were used to reflect samples they would try, with the booms increasing or decreasing depending on the item. The meaning is quite loose as it can also be used to show as a sign of respect, appreciation, enjoyment or success.
Fire/flames
An adjective to describe something’s greatness.
Gives me life
Something that gives you excitement or enjoyment.
Got drip
Someone who looks really cool or has a stylish outfit.
Gyatt
Strong admiration, surprise or excitement usually in reaction to seeing a woman’s shapely bottom. Originally related to ‘godd**n’ and typically said as ‘oh my gyatt’.
Incel
Originally used to describe a man who was unsuccessful in dating women in online communities and is a contraction of the term being an ‘involuntary celibate’. The blame was placed on women who were cruelly objectified, ridiculed and insulted as a result. It more broadly applies to someone who hates women or opposes feminism and has other violent and toxic connotations. They promote violent extremism and the ideology has been credited for several mass killings in the last decade, mostly in the US.
The hit Netflix show Adolescence looked closely at the psychology behind misogyny in young men and what drives incels to violence
It’s giving
Used as a verb to help describe a certain ‘vibe’, often followed by a noun.
Looksmaxxing
The practice of often times extreme measures used to change your appearance, typically aimed at young men and based on incel ideologies. ‘Softmaxxing’ is more superficial and can include clearing acne, going to the gym or having a certain haircut. Mewing is considered softmaxxing. ‘Hardmaxxing’ is considered more invasive changes like getting implants, surgically lengthening your limbs, getting jaw surgery or starving yourself, although there are many subgroups within this. Looksmaxxing has often been criticised for promoting body dysphoria.
Low-T
Used in a humorous way to describe a man who lacks traditional masculine qualities, like crying, being a vegetarian or being a feminist.
Manosphere
An online world consisting of blogs, websites and forums that promote typically toxicly masculine traits and a violent opposition to feminism. Incels will find much of their content here as well as many men’s rights groups.
Mewing
Perhaps the most popular ‘looksmaxxing’ term, mewing refers to the practice of suctioning your tongue to the top of your mouth to ‘enhance’ their jawline.
Mouse jiggler
A device or software used to make it seem as though you are working when you are not, inspired after the shifting work-from-home culture after the pandemic.
No cap
Not a lie.
Pookie
A romantic term of endearment for your significant other but can also be used more broadly for close ones you are affectionate towards. The world was popularised by viral TikTok couple Campbell and Jett Puckett.
Jett Puckett and his wife, Campbell, have amassed 1.5million followers on TikTok, where they are known for showing off their outfits and for being affectionate to each other
Pop off
To do really well at a task, can also mean to have a go at someone or fight with them.
Queen
A complimentary name that shows respect or affection.
Redpilled
A reference to The Matrix, if you are ‘redpilled’ who have become aware of the supposed truth of the world as revealed by the manosphere. If you have taken the ‘blue pill’ you are wilfully ignorant of the truth and the alleged world order.
Rizz
Believed to come from ‘charisma’ but is used to say you have success at flirting.
Say less
When you understand something completely. Can also indicate excitement.
Serving
When something looks really good or well put together, normally an outfit.
Shook
Shocked or surprised.
Sigma
Often used among young men, it can be used to a solitary, masculine man. Its an evolution of the phrase ‘alpha male’ credited to controversial far-right activist Theodore Robert Beale, and was inspired by the letter of the Greek alphabet to signify a lone wolf. It also has relations to the ‘manosphere’ and ‘incel’ culture and an example of a ‘sigma’ is Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.
Despite these new connotations, it is often used ironically in the phrase ‘what the sigma’ as a humorous expletive, making fun of the intense hustle culture of ‘bros’. It can also still mean ‘that’s cool’ after it was used in the parody song ‘Sticking Out Your Gyatt for the Rizzler (Fanum Tax)’. While some people in the manosphere aspire to these qualities, it is often used aa a pejorative in reference to toxic masculinity in these contexts.
The term was coined by the creator of a video series titled Skibidi Toilet (pictured) on YouTube, featuring animated heads appearing out of lavatories
Pictured: the necklace Kim Kardashian posted on social media. Colin McIntosh, a lexicographer at Cambridge Dictionary, said: ‘Internet culture is changing the English language and the effect is fascinating to observe and capture in the dictionary’
Slay
To do really well at something although used very broadly now to describe anything positive.
Soy boy
A pejorative among online and gaming communities to describe a man who lacks traditional masculine qualities. The relation to ‘soy’ is down to the presence of phytoestrogen isoflavone in soybeans which some online wrongly believe soy products in turn will feminise them, affect their testosterone or oestrogen levels or sperm quality.
Streamer
Someone who broadcasts live content online, typically a video game. They will then engage in real time with their viewers who can comment or chat.
The goat
An acronym for ‘the greatest of all time’, often used in football or sports.
Tradwife
A married woman who stays at home doing the cooking, cleaning and taking care of children but ‘especially [a wife] who posts on social media’ about these activities.
Demure
A phrase used in a viral TikTok – the typical full sentence goes ‘I’m not like those other girls, I’m very demure, very mindful’ – and is used to indicate that you have a calmer, drama-free approach to life.
Understood the assignment
Did a task really well.
Zaddy
A handsome, older man.
