17 Slang Terms That Used to Be Super Popular Back in the Day

Whether it was a decade or a century ago, slang terms have their own unique way of defining moments in history. Some of these terms date all the way back to the 1920s — for instance, “applesauce" wasn't used to describe the grocery store staple back in the roaring decade. In more recent history, like the early 2000s, there was the cultural phenomenon of the catchphrase “that’s hot,” thanks to the ever-popular socialite and reality star Paris Hilton.

While some of these slang terms originated from songs and popular television shows, many also derive from communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community and cultural movements. Therefore, while we're exploring the years which these words were popular, as well as referencing some common examples of how they were used, it's important to recognize the influence these communities have had on the English language. We recommend reading about AAVE, or African-American Vernacular English, in particular, to learn more about the context surrounding certain slang words, as well as how words and language can be appropriated.