Do You Know These Common Gen X Phrases?

The original use of the word “gnarly” was to describe branches or roots that had many bumps, twists and turns. The word was picked up by the surfer culture and came to mean “beyond difficult or extreme,” and eventually it was picked up by Gen X in general.

"Bodacious" means attractive or pleasing in some way. The root words are “bold” and “audacious,” which initially meant that a person is admirable.

The “preppy” fashion style was based on how people from exclusively upper-class prep schools dressed. It eventually described young people who wore the equivalent of casual, but neat and traditional, clothing.

“Chilling out” basically means to relax and keep a cool attitude. The phrase itself was probably coined as early as the Baby Boomer generation’s era, but only became increasingly popular with the Gen X crowd in terms of daily usage.

The term “wicked” used to be a negative term, primarily and popularly linked to witches. However, it became popular with Generation X for emphasizing how good a person was at something. It was a negative word that was positively reclaimed.

Some sources say that “dweeb” is actually an acronym that stands for “Dim-Witted Eastern-Educated Boor.” When used, it usually means a person is socially boring or awkward - hence, you’re not really the life of the party.

"Yuppies," or "Young Urban Professionals," were people who kept lucrative 9-to-5 jobs, usually in a corporation. They were considered to be overly career-driven, money-obsessed and unable to understand people who were not like them. Therefore, they came across as shallow and materialistic.

The key word in the phrase is “fly.” It’s taken from an old British term that means a person is well-dressed and probably also attractive. Generation X incorporated it into their street lingo.

“Diss” is actually a shortened version of “disrespect.” Dissing involves one person insulting another, and the term was used in daily life, not just in music.

“Gag me with a spoon” actually refers to the gag reflex, like sticking a finger down your throat. The term is used to say that whatever was talked about is that bad or really disgusting.

“Getting jiggy with it” is more famous as a term that means “having fun dancing,” thanks to Will Smith and his 1997 song. Before that, people in Harlem used it as a term to mean having a good time or having sex.

A person’s “homeboy” is a friend from the old neighborhood, or maybe even his best friend. A more gender-neutral version of this term is “homie.”

“My bad” is a shortened phrase that means “my mistake.” However, some Generation Xers have also used it with the additional meaning that “There’s nothing to be done about it, sorry.”

"Phat" has been used since at least the 1950s, but it was Generation X that made it a part of pop culture. It is supposedly a shortened term for "Pretty Hot and Thick," but there are other vulgar variations on what the letters mean – and we’ll leave that up to you to discover.

“Word” has come to mean either agreement, because the word is the truth, or, if used as a question, to ask if something is the truth. “Word” is more commonly used within the African-American culture, but it has been picked up outside of that culture from time to time.

“Old school” rocketed in use when Generation X used it to describe people or actions that were rather traditional in nature. Depending on how it’s used, it can have a good or bad connotation.

“How’s it hanging?” has been traced back to the 1920s, when it was originally a vulgar greeting linked to a man’s genitalia. Generation X usage is more of a general greeting, asking about your state of being or how your day is going - more wholesome than its original usage.

“Going postal” was coined due to the apparent stress and violence linked to employees of the U.S. Postal Service. Generation X has made it a general term for extreme anger that can lead to violence.

The word “aight” is a shortened term of “all right.” By making it one syllable only, it’s easier to say or use. Gen X is genius at reinvention.

Though the phrase “to bomb” generally means failure, “the bomb” means that something’s excellent or the best. The origin of the phrase isn’t clear, but it may come from jazz and African-American culture.

“Booyah” is an expression of victory. Some people say it started in sports or the military. If you’re a millennial or younger, you might use this Generation X term sarcastically.

“Talk to the hand” means that you’re not listening. It’s usually used with a “stop” gesture, wherein a full hand is extended, facing the person you’re talking to. But in some versions, the hand does talking motions with the fingers.

“You go, girl” is a gender-specific Generation X phrase. It usually means to encourage a woman to do something, but it can also be a form of congratulations.

The phrase “as if” means that whatever the other person is asking or proposing is not going to happen. It’s the Generation X way to say, “It will be a cold day in hell before that happens.”

In the past, “bogus” always meant something fake. The Generation X twist was to add the meaning of something being unfair, or something that shouldn’t happen.

“Psych” originated as a 1930s term meaning to outsmart others. The Generation X twist is more about lying to a person, then telling them in a mean way that you lied to them.

Advice to “take a chill pill” means that a person should calm down or relax, because they are perceived to be too anxious, uptight or very much preoccupied. The second meaning for Generation X people is to just go with the flow of events.

If a Generation X person says “whatever” as the last word, they could be ignoring you. They may also be telling you that what you said sucks.

The "buzzkill" is a person who takes the energy or fun out of an activity or even something like a conversation. The “buzz” refers to positive energy, which the person is killing.

“Let’s bounce” means that it’s time to go somewhere else. The term may have started in sports, with Generation Xers adding a feeling that means “I’m bored.”

“Cha-ching” means that a person has money. The phrase is taken from the sound of a cash register, so it's a sound effects kind of expression.

“Crib” is shorthand for a person’s home, which was popularly used during the '90s and still saw some usage after that, even up to today. Generation Xers also mix in some pride when they use it, like they're displaying their home for people to see.

“Eat my shorts” became a famous phrase when it was used by Bart Simpson in the TV show "The Simpsons." It is simply a way of telling the other person you don’t care – at all. It sounds like an insult.

“Totally tubular” is surf speak, used by Generation X people to mean something is really good or excellent. The term describes how a good wave has a “tube” of water for surfers to go through. Since some Gen Xers are also surfers, the usage became interchangeable between these communities.

“Where’s the beef?” actually started as a Wendy’s advertising campaign slogan. Generation X people used it to ask if something was worth it, implying that it wasn’t.