• Z
n. 1. 1963 US sl. – an outcast; a despised person
n. 2. 1975 US drug culture sl. – one ounce of narcotic or marijuana
• THE Z
n. 1977 US – a demilitarized zone (abbreviation of DMZ)
• ZA
n. 1968 US sl. – pizza
• ZAC • ZACK
n. 1. 1898 Aust. sl. – a sixpence
n. 2. 1953 Aust. sl. – any money; a trivial amount of money
n. 3. Bk1981 Aust. prison colloq. – a prison sentence of six months duration
• ZACATECAS PURPLE
n. 20C US drug culture sl. – marijuana from Zacatecas, Mexico
• ZACKY
adj. 1854 Eng. dial. – imbecile, deficient in understanding
n. Bk1904 Eng. dial. – a soft fellow; a dupe; a coward
• ZAD
n. 1. 1669 obs. exc. Eng. dial. – the letter ‘Z’
n. 2. 1725 sl. – a deformed or crooked person; a bandy-legged person; a hunchbacked person
• ZAFTIG
adj. 1932 US sl. – sexy; buxom
• ZAGGED
adj. 20C US sl. – intoxicated with alcohol
• ZAGGLE
vb. B1900 Eng. dial. – to confuse, especially by contradictory assertions
• ZAGS
n. 1970 US sl. – thin papers used for rolling cigarettes
• ZAHTY-POLL
n. Bk1904 Eng. dial. – a stupid, silly, half-imbecile person
• ZAK
n. 1. 1898 Aust. sl. a sixpence
n. 2. 1953 Aust. sl. – any money; a trivial amount of money
• ZAMBUC • ZAMBUCK • ZAMBUK
n. 1918 Aust. & NZ sl. – a first-aider; a St. John Ambulance man or woman, esp. at a sporting event
• ZAMMY
n. 1876 Eng. dial. – a simpleton, a fool; an ill-natured fellow; an effeminate weakling; a lunatic
• ZAM-ZODY
adj. 1889 Eng. dial. – stupid, soft
• ZAM-ZOED
adj. Bk1904 Eng. dial. – stupid, soft
• ZANK
vb. 1961 US sl. – to lose your mental composure
• ZAP
n. 1. 1968 sl., orig. US – energy, vigour, vitality
n. 2. 1979 US sl. – an electrical shock
vb. 1. 1942 sl., orig. US – to kill deliberately; to kill with a gun
vb. 2. 1961 US sl.- to fail in an examination
vb. 3. 1967 sl., orig. US – to excite; to cause to lose composure; to overwhelm emotionally
vb. 4. 1967 US sl. – to present, to give
vb. 5. Bk1970 US students’ sl. – to put someone in his place; to ‘put down’
vb. 6. 1973 US sl. – to give someone an electrical shock; to administer electric shock treatment to someone
vb. 7. 1974 US sl. – to move quickly
vb. 8. 1977 US sl. – to heat something up in a microwave oven
vb. 9. 1979 sl., orig. US – to instil with vigour, to liven up
vb. 10. 1985 US sl. – to have sex
vb. 11. M20 US sl. – to kill, to stun, or sterilize with an imaginary ray gun
• ZAPATO
n. Bk1913-17 Amer. dial. – a shoe
• ZAPPED
adj. 1. 1979 US sl. – drug-intoxicated
adj. 2. Bk1981 Aust. colloq. – tired to the point of exhaustion
adj. 3. 1983 US sl. – spicy
• ZAPPY
adj. 1969 sl., orig. US – energetic, vigorous, lively
• ZAP UP
vb. Bk1981 Aust. colloq. – to make livelier and more interesting
• ZARF
n. Bk1971 US sl. – an ugly an undesirable male
• ZASPEROUS
adv. 1892 Eng. dial. – exasperatingly
• ZAT
n. 1950s sl., orig. US teen usage – a spot, a pimple, a blackhead
• ZATCH
n. 1. 1950 sl. – female genitals
n. 2. 1950 sl. – the buttocks
n. 3. 1980 sl. – an act of sexual intercourse
• ZATELY
adj. Bk1904 Eng. dial. – indolent, idle
• ZATENFARE
adj. 1746 Eng. dial. – stupid, senseless, idiotic
n. 1777 Eng. dial. – a foolish, weak person; one easily imposed upon
• ZATHY
adj. Bk1904 Eng. dial. – simple, foolish
• ZAWKIN
adj. Bk1904 Eng. dial. – stupid, thick-headed
• ZAZZLE
n. 1. 20C US sl. – exaggerated sexuality; sex appeal
n. 2. 20C US sl. – sexual desire
• ZAZZ UP
vb. 1970s sl. – to make more decorative and impressive
• ZAZZY
adj. 1961 sl., chiefly US – characterized by outward show; flashy, stylish; energetic
• Z-BAG
n. 1968 US sl. – the bed
• ZEAR
adj. Bk1966 US students’ sl. – sincere
• ZEBRA
adj. 1971 US sl. – racially mixed
n. 1. 1946 US sl. – a cadet officer in the US Air Force
n. 2. 1978 sports sl. – a referee or other sports official who wears a striped shirt on the playing field
n. 3. 1980s medical sl. – an unlikely, arcane, or obscure diagnosis
n. 4. 1980s sl. – a person of mixed Black and White race
• ZEEK FREAK
n. 1989 US sl. – a person who great enjoys sex while under the influence of crack cocaine
• ZEKE
n. 1. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a hyena
n. 2. 1970 Amer. dial. – a dull, stupid person; a rustic, a dolt
• ZELANT
n. 1625 obs. rare – zealot or enthusiast
• ZELATOR
n. 1. 1460 rare – a zealous defender or supporter; one who zealously furthers the cause of
n. 2. 1644 rare – a zealot
n. 3. 1852 – a sister in a religious community whose duty is to keep a check upon the conduct of the mother superior or of the younger religious and novices
• ZELDA
n. 1961 US sl. – a high school girl who is a socially inept outcast
• ZELLER
n. 1988 US sl. – an over-devoted surfer
• ZELOPHOBIA
n. Bk1991 – an abnormal fear of jealousy
• ZEMMIES!
int. 1877 Eng. dial. – an exclamation of surprise or rebuke
• ZEN
n. 1. 1989 US sl. – MDMA (ecstasy)
n. M20 US drug culture sl. – the drug LSD
• ZENAGOGUE
n. 1674 obs. – one who conducts strangers; a guide
• ZEN IN
vb. 1967 US sl. – to grasp completely through intuition
• ZENODOCHIE
n. 1676 obs. rare – entertainment of strangers; hospitality
• ZENT
n. 20C US sl. – a pimple
• ZENTIPPE
n. 1596 – the wife of Socrates; hence, an ill-tempered woman or wife; a shrew; a scold
• ZENTS
n. Bk1970 US high school sl. – acne, pimples
• ZEP
n. 1951 Amer. dial. – a submarine sandwich or similar meat-and-cheese-filled roll
• ZEPHYR
n. 1. a1000 – the west wind, often personified
n. 2. 1821 Amer. dial. – a light scarf or kerchief
• ZEPPELIN
n. 1. 1967 Amer. dial. – a submarine sandwich or similar meat-and-cheese-filled roll
n. 2. 1996 US sl. – a poker player who contemplates long and hard before every bet or play
• ZEPPELINS IN A CLOUD
n. World War I Amer. sl. – sausage and mashed potatoes
• ZERK
n. Bk1971 US students’ sl. – a dull or unintelligent person
• ZERKING
adj. 1970s teen sl. – behaving in a strange way
• ZERO
n. 1. 1970 Amer. dial. – a privy
n. 2. 1996 US sl. – a gambler who is a chronic loser
n. 2. M20 US sl. – an insignificant person; a dull nobody
vb. 1. 1955 US sl. – to identify or locate someone or something
vb. 2. 1990 US sl. – to kill someone
• ZERO COOL
adj. 1980s sl. – extremely aware, alert, up-to-date, relaxed, cool
• ZERO-DARK-THIRTY
n. 1959 US military sl. – the wee hours of the morning, before or roughly at dawn
• ZEROES
n. 20C sl. – in dominoes; 0-0
• ZERO HOUR
n. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a crucial moment
• ZERO OUT
vb. 1. 1989 US sl., Korean war usage – to kill someone
vb. 2. 1990s sl. – to eliminate; to reduce to nothing
vb. 3. 1992 US sl. – to be killed
• ZERO WEEK
n. 1968 US sl. – the orientation week preceding eight weeks of basic military training
• ZERO ZERO
n. 1996 UK sl. – a high grade variety of hashish from Morocco; generally, marijuana
• ZETZ
n. 1940s sl. – a blow; a punch
• Z-GAME
n. 1988 US sl. – the game with the lowest betting limits in a gambling operation or cardroom
• ZHLOB
n. 1964 US sl. – an oaf or dolt; a fool; a coarse person; a boorish man
• ZHLUB
n. 1964 US sl. – an oaf or dolt; a fool; a coarse person; a boorish man
• ZHLUBBY
adj. 1964 sl. – having the qualities of a ‘zhlub’; coarse; boorish
• ZIB
n. 20C US sl. – a fool or sucker; an oaf or nincompoop
• ZICKETY-BOOM!
int. 1924 Amer. dial. – an exclamation of joy or surprise
• ZICKITY-BAM!
int. 1924 Amer. dial. – an exclamation of joy or surprise
• ZIFF
n. 1917 Aust. & NZ sl. – a beard
• ZIG
n. 1944 Amer. dial., derogatory – a Black, or other dark-skinned, person
vb. 1. 1948 US sl. – when faced with two courses of action, to take the wrong one
vb. 2. 1986 US sl. – to shoot down an enemy fighter plane
• ZIGABO
n. 1909 US sl., derogatory or offensive – a Black person
• ZIGABOO
n. 20C US sl., derogatory – a Black person
• ZIGGABOO
n. 1937 Amer. dial., derogatory – a Black, or other dark-skinned, person
• ZIGGERBOO
n. 1. 1947 Amer. dial., derogatory – a Black, or other dark-skinned, person
n. 2. 1947 college sl. – a nutty, crazy person
• ZIGGETY!
int. 1888 Amer. dial. – an exclamation of joy or surprise
• ZIGGETY-DAMN!
int. 1965 Amer. dial. – an exclamation of joy or surprise
• ZIGGY
n. 1990s sl. – a marijuana cigarette, esp. when laced with crack cocaine
• ZIG-ZAG
adj. 1918 sl., chiefly US – drunk
n. 1. 1954 US sl. – sex with a prostitute
n. 2. 1968 US sl. – cigarette rolling papers
• ZIG-ZAGGED
adj. 20C US sl. – intoxicated with alcohol
• ZIG-ZIG
n. 19C military sl. – sexual intercourse
vb. 19C military sl. – to copulate
• ZILCH
n. 1. 1940 US sl. – nothing
n. 2. 1965 US sl. – a socially inept outcast
• ZILL
n. 1. B1900 Sc. – a child
n. 2. B1900 Eng. dial. – a plough
vb. 1. B1900 Eng. dial. – to sow a plant, and then cover it by harrowing
vb. 2. B1900 Eng. dial. – to fasten anything, as a springe, into the ground
• ZILLIONAIRE
n. 1946 sl. – a multi-millionaire; hence, an extremely rich person
• ZIMMER
n. 1990 US sl. – a girl
• ZINE
n. 1978 US sl. – an inexpensively self-published magazine devoted to such topics as hobbies, music, movies, or politics
• ZINED
n. 1976 US sl. – a fan magazine editor
• Z-ING
n. 1. c1965 Amer. dial. – snoring, sleeping
n. 2. 1994 US sl. – the practice of targeting tourists as victims of crime by the “Z” as the first letter on the car number plate, designating a rental car
• ZING
n. 1. 1918 sl., orig. US – energy, vigour, vitality, pep, vim
n. 2. 1997 US sl. – an amphetamine tablet
vb. 1. 1920 US sl. – to move quickly
vb. 2. 1975 US sl. – to affect someone suddenly and forcefully
vb. 3. 1985 US sl. – to injure, to hurt
• ZING ALONG
vb. 1961 sl. – to move quickly and strongly
• ZINGARO
n. 1981 US circus & carnival usage – a gypsy
• ZINGER
n. 1. 1955 US sl. – an excellent thing
n. 2. 1959 US sl. – a very attractive woman
n. 3. 1959 US sl. – an arranged ending to a competition
n. 4. 1964 US sl. – the punchline of a joke; the last word; a sturdy retort
n. 5. 1973 US sl. – a surprise question, or an unexpected turn of events
n. 6. 1979 US sl. – a hard stare that is intended to impart bad luck on the recipient
n. 7. 1992 US sl. – a surface wound
n. 8. 1993 US sl. – an amphetamine tablet
n. 9. 1996 US sl. – a hot pepper
• ZING IT IN
vb. 1979 US sl. – to bet heavily
• ZINGS
n. E20 US sl. – delirium tremens
• ZINGY
adj. 1948 sl. – energetic, vigorous, lively
• ZION CURTAIN
n. 1. 1969 Amer. dial. – a supposed cultural boundary separation Mormons, or the state of Utah, as a region dominated by Mormons, from the rest of the country
n. 2. 2009 Amer. dial. – a screen or partition, formerly in bars, later in restaurants that serve alcoholic drinks, that separates bartenders from their customers in accordance with Utah liquor laws
• ZIP
n. 1. 1900 UK sl. – energy, vigour, vitality
n. 2. 1900 US sl. – nothing at all; zero
n. 3. 1905 Amer. dial. – syrup, molasses
n. 4. 1938 Amer. dial. – sugar
n. 5. 1949 US sl. – a hand-made gun
n. 6. 1970 US military sl., derogatory – an Oriental (Zero Intelligence Potential)
n. 7. 1981 Aust. colloq. – a sudden, brief hissing sound, as of a bullet
n. 8. 1987 US sl. – an Italian or Sicilian criminal brought to the US for criminal purposes, especially murder
vb. 1. 1852 Amer. sl. – to go fast; to move quickly
vb. 2. 1982 Amer. sl. – to kill someone
• ZIP ALONG
vb. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – to go fast
• ZIP BALL
n. 1977 US sl. – in pinball: a ball that leaves play without having scored
• ZIP-FIVE
n. 1964 US sl. – a prison sentence of a maximum of five years
• ZIP GUN
n. 1954 US sl. – an inexpensive, homemade gun, usually consisting of a tube, a grip, and a rudimentary striking device
• ZIP IT
vb. 1999 US sl. – to stop talking
• ZIPLESS
adj. 1973 sl. – said of a sexual encounter that is brief and passionate
• ZIPPER
n. 1. 1920s sl. – a promiscuous woman
n. 2. Bk1942 Amer. sl. – a fast throw
n. 3. 1988 US sl. – a short but well-formed wave
n. 4. 1996 US sl. – in poker: a trap play
• ZIPPER CLUB
n. 1970s US homosexual sl. – anywhere that plays host to repeated oral sex, e.g. a lavatory or bath-house
• ZIPPER DINNER
n. 1970s US homosexual sl. – quick, spontaneous fellatio without even dropping one’s trousers, just unzipping and pulling out the penis
• ZIPPERED
adj. 1940s sl. – drunk
• ZIPPERFISH
n. 1. 1990s sl. – the female genitals
n. 2. 1990s sl. – the penis
• ZIPPER GUN
n. 1949 US sl. – an inexpensive, homemade gun, usually consisting of a tube, a grip, and a rudimentary striking device
• ZIPPERHEAD
n. 1967 US sl., offensive – a Vietnamese; any Asian person
• ZIPPER POCKETS
n. 1970s US sl. – a mean, grasping person
• ZIPPER RIPPER
n. 1999 US sl. – in craps: a roll of ten
• ZIPPER SEX
n. 1970s US homosexual sl. – quick, spontaneous fellatio without even dropping one’s trousers, just unzipping and pulling out the penis
• ZIPPER YOUR KISSER!
int. 20C sl. – be quiet!
• ZIPPITY-DOO-DAH
int. 1992 US sl. – used as a nonsensical, all-purpose utterance
n. 1977 US sl. – nothing at all
• ZIPPO
n. 1. 1966 US sl. – a tank-mounted flame thrower
n. 2. 1981 US sl. – energy
n. 3. 1993 US sl. – nothing
vb. 1966 US sl. – to set something on fire and burn it
• ZIPPO JOB
n. 1988 US sl. – the burning of a village as part of a military sweep through the area
• ZIPPOLA
n. 1994 US sl. – nothing at all
• ZIPPY
adj. 1. 1904 sl. – energetic, full of ‘pep’
adj. 2. 1920s sl. – fast, speedy
adj. 3. 1920s US sl. – fashionable
adj. 4. 1990s drug culture sl. – containing amphetamine or a similar stimulant
• ZIP SQUAT
n. 1990s US students’ sl. – a very small amount; nothing
• ZIP TOP
n. 1987 US sl., offensive – a Jewish person
• ZIP YOUR LIP
vb. 1999 US sl. – to stop talking
• ZIP YOUR MOUTH
vb. 1999 US sl. – to stop talking
• ZIRCON
n. 1960s US sl. – a fool
• ZIRCONIA FLUSH
n. 1996 US sl. – in poker: four diamonds
• ZIT
n. 1. 1950s sl., orig. US teen usage – a spot, a pimple, a blackhead
n. 2. 1960s US students’ sl. – any form of mark
n. 3. 1960s US students’ sl. – a general insult
n. 4. 1960s US homosexual sl. – an underage boy US homosexual sl.
n. 5. Bk1966 US students’ sl. – something bad or unpleasant
n. 6. 1970s sl. – a skin blemish left by a lovebite
n. 7. 1983 US sl. – a Vietnamese person
• ZIT DOCTOR
n. 1980s US teen sl. – a dermatologist
• ZITELLA
n. a1668 obs. – a girl, a young woman, a maiden
• ZIT-FEATURES
n. 1990s sl. – a general term of abuse to one who has acne
• ZITHEAD
n. 1990s US sl. – a teenager; the image is of acned mediocrity
• ZITS
n. Bk1942 Amer. theatrical sl. – a false beard
• ZITTY
adj. 1950s sl., orig. US teen usage – spotty, pimpled
n. 1950s sl., orig. US teen usage – a person with acne
• ZITZ
n. 1950s sl., orig. US teen usage – a spot, a pimple, a blackhead
• ZIZ
n. 1941 sl., orig. military usage – a nap, a snooze, a brief sleep
vb. 1942 sl. – to sleep, esp. lightly or briefly
• ZIZZ
n. 1. 1941 sl., orig. military usage – a nap, a snooze, a brief sleep
n. 2. 1942 sl. – energy, vigour, vitality, gaiety, liveliness
vb. 1. 1930s sl. – to have a nap or snooze; to sleep lightly or briefly
vb. 2. 1930s US sl. – to move fast
• ZIZZING
n. 1930s sl. – dozing, napping
• ZIZZY
adj. 1. 1954 US sl. – fancy, showy
adj. 2. 1966 sl. – energetic, vigorous, lively
n. 20C World War II armed forces usage – a sleep, a nap, a snooze
• ZLOTY
n. 1996 US sl. – in poker: low-stakes betting
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Updated: October 1, 2022
Lexicophilia 