Early 20th Century slang
The bee's knees. Far out. Totally tubular. While some slang terms have come and gone over the decades , others have true staying power. We're taking a look back at some of the more memorable phrases to join the American lexicon in the past 100 years.
The decade: '20s
Meaning
Origins
One story alleges a famous New York building was responsible for the silly-sounding phrase . A British rock band and a short film later borrowed the moniker.
The decade: '20s
Meaning
Origins
Some say the rhyme -- one of many nonsensical phrases used by nattily dressed party girls -- was popularized by a famous dancer. Bartenders are still serving up "bee's knees" drinks today.
The decade: '20s
Meaning
Origins
"Cat's pajamas" was considered a compliment during the flapper decade. These days, it's a popular sleepwear line
The decade: '40s
Origins
Meaning
Jazz fans and musicians in the '40s were some of the first to use "hepcat" to describe a cool person (see pictures of their flashy suits). A California ska band took the name in the late '80s
The decade: '40s
Meaning
Origins
Present-day hipsters seem to have inherited their particular music tastes from their bebop-loving forbears.
The decade: '60s
Meaning
Origins
The spacey phrase first showed up in the '50s, but it was the next decade's hippies - with their penchant for psychedelic drugs - who made it their own.
The decades: 1960s and '70s
Meaning
Origins
Popular in the '60s, this favorite word of a "Scooby-Doo"character was also an apt way to describe the funky '70s .
The decade: '70s
Meaning
Origins
Surfers first used the word to describe riding a particularly awesome wave. Today, you'll likely hear the word at skate parks and snowboarding competitions.
The decade: '80s
Meaning
Origins
This ubiquitous adjective gained popularity in the '80s and enjoyed a recent renaissance thanks to a wacky Internet cartoon and an NBC sitcom
The decade: '80s
Meaning
Origins
When a Valley Girl called something "totally tubular," it was the height of cool (not to be confused with another definition). The phrase soon went the way of oversized hair and parachute pants.
The decade: '80s
Meaning
Origins
A '70s mischievous subculture allegedly first popularized the word, which was later co-opted by everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Keanu Reeves.
The decade: '80s
Meaning
Origins
This synonym for "cool" reached its climax with a 1986 BMX movie . Now some self-described geeks are bringing it back.
The decade: '90s
Meaning
Origins
The Southern term inspired a subgenre of hip-hop that rappers such as Lil John and Three 6 Mafia made popular in the mid-'90s. Learn the dance moves.
The decade: '90s
Meaning
Origins
Showing up to school in a new pair of British Knights would merit the "fresh" tag, as would this critically acclaimed 1994 film.
The decade: '90s
Meaning
Origins
The cool-meaning word not to be confused with the 1986 sci-fi flick or a myriad other meanings) was a favorite of '90s rappers and is still kicking around in hip-hop today.
The decade: '90s
Meaning
Origins
This flattering term went on to inspire a clothing line. Who started it?
The decade: '90s
Meaning
Origins
This cut-down word (short for another word) inspired a subgenre of hip-hop music. Check out the top rap feuds.
The decade: '00s
Meaning
Origins
The domestic noun was bandied about for years before a certain MTV reality show introduced it into the mainstream. Did you know there's a country version?
The decade: '00s
Meaning
Origins
"The Graduate" and "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" featured the older woman-younger man hookup long before ABC and "Saturday Night Live" jumped on the bandwagon. Which famous women are real-life cougars?
The decade: '00s
Meaning
Origins
Some think this compliment originated in this Southern city. Which rapper had a song called "Shawty" .
The decade: '00s
Meaning
Origins
Beastly
The decade: '00s
Meaning
Origins
A 2007 book and 2011 movie may have inspired teens to start using this favorable term.
The term of endearment inspired a 2002 hip-hop duet and a 2004 R&B duet . Which 2001 Pixar movie featured a character named Boo?
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