A Glossary of 1950s Slang: 101 Words that Defined a Decade

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Plus, iconic '50s films and music to hear retro slang in action
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Poodle skirts, greased-back hair, and pop-centric blues—the 1950s were a decade to remember! From leather jackets to the rise of TV to the rhythm of rock 'n' roll, the 1950s laid the groundwork for a variety of American trends. But while you may know the overall aesthetic of the 50s, do you know how people used to talk? Take a look at this list of popular 1950s slang, expressions, and insults to learn if you’re a cat or a wet rag!

Section 1 of 8:

1950s Slang for People

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    Whether you want to tell everyone how cool your friend is or how annoying your younger sibling is, the 1950s had slang for that! Check out the slang words below that are best used to describe certain types of people, personas, or attitudes: [1]
    • Actor: A show-off
    • Ankle-biter: A small child
    • Ape: Someone who’s really mad
    • Backseat bingo: Someone (or the action of) making out in the backseat of a car
    • Bad news: Someone who’s difficult to be around
    • Bash ears: Someone who talks too much
    • Beatnik: A young person who’s into a “party” lifestyle (drugs, music, alcohol)
    • Bird dog: Someone who tries to steal your girl
    • Cat: A hip or cool person
    • Circled: Someone who’s (or the act of being) married
    • Curtain climbers: Small children
    • Dingaling: A nerd [2]
    • Fast: Someone who is quick to be physical in a relationship
    • Fake out: A bad date
    • Hipster: Someone who’s cool or with the times
    • Party pooper: Someone who’s not fun to be around
    • Slodge: A friend
    • Shim: Someone who dislikes rock and roll music
    • Spaz: Someone who’s clumsy
    • Square: Someone who sticks to traditional social norms
    • Turkey: Someone who is seen as “useless”
    • Wet rag: Someone who’s boring
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Section 2 of 8:

1950s Slang for Places & Things

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  1. In the 1950s, there was slang for just about anything. Cars, glasses, clothes, bathrooms—you name it! Check out the list below to see what folks in the 50s called everyday objects and places: [3]
    • Antsville: A crowded place
    • Apple butter: Smooth talk
    • Bash: A party
    • Blanket: A sandwich
    • Bit: A joke
    • Bread: Money
    • Can: Toilet or bathroom
    • Chariot: A car or vehicle
    • Cheaters (or peepers): Eyeglasses
    • Drag: An unofficial car race
    • Earth pads: Shoes
    • Fat City: A great place
    • Flick: A movie
    • Flip top (or rag top): A convertible car
    • Gig: A job
    • Heat: The police
    • Horn: Telephone
    • Knuckle sandwich: A punch in the face
    • Machine: A hot rod car
    • Nest: A hairstyle
    • Nuggets: Loose change
    • Passion pit: A drive-in theater
    • Pad: Where someone lives
    • Rock: A diamond
    • Tank: A big car
    • Threads: Clothes
    • Wig chop: A haircut
Section 3 of 8:

1950s Slang Expressions

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    If you were chillin’ with your pals in the 1950s, chances are, you’d say one or more of these expressions. Below is a list of popular 1950s phrases and expressions to depict everyday emotions or feelings: [4]
    • Agitate the gravel: To leave a car quickly
    • Ain’t that a bite: That’s too bad
    • Bake a biscuit: Make a record
    • Blast: A really good time
    • Big tickle: Something really funny
    • B*tchin’: A good time
    • Boss: Something great
    • Cloud nine: Being very happy
    • Come on snake, let’s rattle: Come dance or let’s fight
    • Cookin’ with gas: Doing something the best way
    • Cranked: Being super excited
    • Cruisin’ for a bruisin’: Looking for trouble
    • Cut the gas: Be quiet
    • Dig: To really like something
    • Don’t have a cow: Don’t freak out
    • Flip a lid: Going crazy
    • Fracture: To fill with delight or cause laughter [5]
    • Frosted: To be angry
    • Gangbusters: Something successful
    • Ginchy: Excellent
    • Goose it: Accelerate it
    • Got the zorros: Feeling nervous
    • Grody: Something sloppy or messy
    • Having a ball: Having a good time
    • In orbit: In the know
    • Kick: Something that’s fun
    • Lay dead: Wait a minute
    • Nifty: Great or cool
    • No sweat: No problem
    • Radioactive: Something popular or trendy
    • Rattle your cage: Someone who annoys you
    • Razz my berries: Impress me
    • Real gone: Being head-over-heels in love
    • Right-o: Okay
    • Scream: To go fast in a car
    • Split: To leave
    • Tight: To be good friends with someone
    • What’s buzzin’, cuzzin’?: What’s new?
    • Word from the bird: The truth
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Section 4 of 8:

1950s Slang for Women

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  1. Ladies, if you were called one of these phrases in the 1950s, you were the cat’s meow! Check out these popular slang terms used to describe women back in the day:
    • Classy chassis: A woman that has an attractive figure
    • Dolly: A cute girl
    • Fly: An attractive girl [6]
    • Fuzzy duck: A girl with short hair
    • Paper shaker: A cheerleader
    • Queen: A popular girl
    • Stacked: A woman with a big bottom
Section 5 of 8:

1950s Slang for Men

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    Gentlemen, there’s no doubt you were good-looking if someone called you one of these phrases in the 1950s! Here is a list of the most popular 1950s slang terms used to describe a man:
    • Bundie: A guy in need of a haircut
    • Daddy-o: A man or father [7]
    • Deb’s delight: An eligible bachelor
    • Dreamboat: A cute guy
    • Flutter bum: An attractive man
    • Greaser: A tough guy
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Section 6 of 8:

Using 1950s Slang

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  1. Replace your everyday vocab with 1950s words and phrases for a retro vibe. Using 1950s slang is easier than you may think! Simply use the words as defined to describe something or someone or express an emotion. Here are some examples:
    • Instead of saying, “Are you going to the party tonight? It's going to be so much fun!” try, “Are you going to the bash tonight? It's going to be kicking!”
    • If something is cool, say, “That’s nifty!”
    • Rather than saying “goodbye,” go with, “I’ve got to split. See you tomorrow!”
    • Keep in mind that some of these phrases or words may be a bit offensive today, so use them with caution.
Section 7 of 8:

Where can you hear 1950s slang?

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  1. 1
    Take in some iconic pop culture from the '50s to soak up the slang. The entertainment industry may be always changing, but it’s also a time capsule of information. Books, movies, and music from the 1950s have kept the culture intact, making it easy to dive into that 1950s aesthetic whenever you want!
    • Best movies from the 1950s: 12 Angry Men (1957) and Seven Samurai (1954) [8]
    • Best TV shows from the 1950s: I Love Lucy and The Twilight Zone [9]
    • Best music from the 1950s: “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Hailey & His Comets and “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin [10]
    • Best books from the 1950s: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote
    • Similarly, many shows and movies produced today are themed or set in the 1950s, such as The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and Grease .
  2. 2
    Listen for '50s slang that stuck around in our daily lingo. You just might hear some 1950s slang in your everyday life. You’ve likely heard some of the words and phrases above, and that’s no surprise! Much of the slang used in the 1950s is still being used today. For instance, you may be familiar with “split,” “tight,” “gig,” and “knuckle sandwich.”
    • Similarly, you may be more familiar with these phrases if you engage with an older crowd or older media more often.
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Section 8 of 8:

What were the 1950s like?

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    In this decade, everyone was a customer! Anything was marketable, from hair products to plastic dinnerware. With the television taking the world by storm, advertisements took a whole new approach with on-air commercials. People of all ages could now see what was cool and hip, making the lingo of the decade that much more obtainable. [11]
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    Part of America was homogeneous and resistant to change when it came to money. After all, the nation had just rebounded from the depression and WWII, and many held tight to loose change just in case. On the other hand, some Americans were eager to spend their money on new products and inventions, causing a rise in businesses (and therefore, new terms and slang). [12]
    • One of the most popular businesses to arise from the 1950s was McDonald’s!
    • McCarthyism and the Red Scare of communism became a pressing matter because of consumerism and the wider reach of the media. [13] In order to seem like you had classic American family values, slang was used to talk about things that were taboo in more uptight, "traditional" settings.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/77365/1950s_Slang_.pdf
      2. ↑ https://stutzfamily.com/mrstutz/50s/slang.html
      3. ↑ https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/77365/1950s_Slang_.pdf
      4. ↑ https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/77365/1950s_Slang_.pdf
      5. ↑ https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-history-dept/2015/04/23/401681334/7-lost-american-slang-words
      6. ↑ https://la01907349.schoolwires.net/cms/lib/LA01907349/Centricity/Domain/1355/The%20Outsiders%20slang.pdf
      7. ↑ https://stutzfamily.com/mrstutz/50s/slang.html
      8. ↑ https://collider.com/best-films-of-the-fifties/
      9. ↑ https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/1950s#1950s-pop-culture
      1. ↑ https://fashion2fiber.osu.edu/exhibits/show/fashion-and-music/top-ten-songs-throughout-the-2/top-ten-songs-of-the-1950s
      2. ↑ https://www.sfomuseum.org/exhibitions/modern-consumer-1950s-products-and-style#
      3. ↑ https://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/1950s
      4. ↑ https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/educational-resources/age-of-eisenhower/mcarthyism-red-scare

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