Like fashion, slang changes with the times. A word that seems current one year can feel wildly dated as time goes on. (Just think about how weird it would be to say something is "da bomb" in 2022.) Even when watching old movies, it's hard not to laugh at the since-abandoned phrases they use so seriously. And forget about any generations before that — someone living a century ago would hardly be able to communicate with someone using today's modern slang.

With the help of the Oxford English Dictionary (especially its handy dandy word of the year records) and a few other archival resources, we've rounded up the slang words that defined every year. Though some words really reflect their time period, you might be surprised by how old some of our go-to slang actually is. Or how much you've forgotten — we know that we're still trying to forget about "whassup."

The money-flush times of the Roaring Twenties gave rise to this term for a woman who is interested in a man, but only for his money. It came from the appropriately-titled "Mantrap" by Sinclair Lewis.

Hollywood couldn't get enough of Clara Bow, so much that she was branded the "It Girl."

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It's hooey, it's baloney. This word can be traced back to an article in The Saturday Evening Post, which referred to something phony as being a bunch of balony (their spelling).

A couple of years after the "It Girl" came Hollywood's "It Boy," which referred to basically any handsome young guy.

Instead of being "bookish," anyone who took an interest in reading was "booksy."

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This word perfectly articulated the elegant-but-also-flashy style of Hollywood starlets and heartbreakers alike of the early part of this decade.

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The word "burp" almost replicates the noise one makes when belching.

Nineteen thirty-three would be the year that Prohibition would be repealed, an occasion that was robustly celebrated.

This word originated from the burgeoning comedy scene, where a line that delivered a big laugh was a "boffo."

This could refer to your grandpa, or any older person you felt like insulting.

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This referred to, yes, the bingo halls that became a hot fad (and then a long-loved game).

Another great word here, referring to something that's pretty gross.

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Another entertainment industry term that made its way into common language, "fave" was used exactly how it is now: To refer to a favorite thing.

Before we trash-talked, we engaged in bad-mouthing our opponents in sports.

The rise of parenting experts lead to a whole new vocabulary for new parents. The term "baby blues" would refer to any sadness felt by a mother after the birth of her baby.

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Yet another phrase borrowed from Hollywood, this time to refer to a handsome actor. Though generally used for younger celebrities, we still think Cary Grant is a dreamboat.

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No longer considered a polite term these days, but this shortened version of "hyperactive" was used to describe kids with far too much energy.

This one was a surprise! Though we associate "Duh" with the '90s, it was widely used as an off-handed remark in the '40s (OED cites a "Merrie Melodies" cartoon as the source).

Interestingly, a "tag-along" was a military term that originally referred to a bomb. It was then repurposed into slang, to describe anyone who was unexpectedly joining in on your plans for the day.

Another surprise from the '40s! Before Homer Simpson had this catchphrase, this offhanded expression has roots in radio programs. Specifically, the program "It's That Man Again." Doh!

Homer would approve of this brief history of donuts »

We wonder if this was used ironically or not, but to be "cheesed off" is to be pretty angry about something. This is the also the year that "square" (as in, a very boring, out-of-date person) starts entering vocabularies, originating from the swing scene.

Now, costume designer Edith Head (pictured here) was the real creative deal, but anyone who sought to imitate her eccentric approach to personal style would be considered pretentious or "artsy."

Bureaucratic slang gets its turn in the spotlight. The phrase "Fannie Mae" jumped from being government/trade slang for the Federal National Mortgage Association. It eventually became the company name of the place many students would write student loan payment checks to.

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Ah, the jet set! This gossip-column standby was first used in 1949 to describe young people who were living fast and glamorously.

Hollywood lingo again goes mainstream with this very-appropriate term for the successful and gorgeous individuals who worked in the industry.

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Well, here's the opposite of "Beautiful People." This year, nerd is cited in Newsweek and defined as an alternative to the phrase "square."

An excellent word to describe a bar that wasn't exactly fancy but was still comfortable, stemming from an article in The New Yorker.

Though hippies defined the latter half of the '60s, its use as slang predates the decade. A permutation of hipster, the hippie is described as "usually exotically dressed" and "given to the use of hallucinogenic drugs." "Far out" also enters the lexicon here, as jazz lingo.

The middle of nowhere, first cited to come from New Hampshire (and the people talking of backwoods areas).

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Not the first time it was used, but a Mad Magazine slang round-up of the year includes this timeless term. Sadly, James Dean, the king of cool, dies this year.

In the era that gave rise to the "organization man" and "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" comes this corporate-ish term to describe a manager who just can't let things go.

This was a word that didn't necessarily refer to a specific place, but the idea of a place. A place that was much cooler than wherever you were — though you could also describe things (like bands or records) as being "endsville" too.

This is a very active year for nuclear testing, giving rise to the shortened word for the weapon, "nuke."

This phrase, which essentially means to show off, came over from '50s California surf culture.

The opposite of "Endsville" is "Dullsville," of course. Need we say more?

Baby boomers were becoming older kids and teens in this decade, which made this word always-appropriate.

Sashaying over from the fashion industry is this oh-so-dramatic phrase, used to describe anything fabulous or gorgeous.

To goof off, especially on the job, was to "Mickey Mouse." It was a phrase that came over, somehow, from the military.

Writer Tom Wolfe gifted culture with this term that describes someone who is feigning innocence.

Meaning bad in appearance, "grody" usually described people and places, but perhaps this gross pile of dishes could count as well. Though it's not mentioned in the OED, we also informally consider this the era of "groovy."

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Obviously, this classic party term came from college life.

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Jimi Hendrix introduced this fantastic phrase into culture, giving permission for people to let theirs fly loud and proud.

A reference to a rear end, which came from "Laugh In." This is also the year that Merriam-Webster cites as the debut of "Yo!" as slang.

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The academic journal "Current Slang" included this slang term on its 1969 list, which was defined as being "beyond belief."

It's a term that never really died out, as an alternative for nerd.

In the original citation for "deadheads," you find this sentence: "Passing the acid test of time will probably be the privilege of very few groups, and I don't think the Grateful Dead will be among them." It's a good laugh, right? Deadheads, the followers of the Grateful Dead, still are going strong all these years later.

Perhaps reflective of the increased popularity of therapy (whether individual or group) comes this ever-useful word

A reference to a carb, interestingly enough, the Atkins diet makes its debut the year before.

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Someone who really likes motorcycles; the next year, it is the name of the great band.

This one had two meanings: One was for the burgeoning California health scene (and the "detox" juice cleanses and diets that would become popular), but the other one was for the increased need for alcohol and drug addiction treatment.

Ruthless business jargon begins to permeate culture with this term to describe a particularly aggressive form of negotiation.

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Yep, it's a beer.

A feast of food, usually junk food. In a sentence you'd never really hear in a diet-related story, the OED citation for this term includes this sentence from an article in the Washington Post that year: "In food, a moderate diet is always right, yet once in a great while a pig-out is desirable." You'd never find that advice these days.

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As boomers get older, so does their desire to look backward. History repeats itself, doesn't it?

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Refers to hair that frizzes rather than cooperates into curls, this would also rise in style as perms took over the '80s. See also: Yuppie, though it's contested on when this term actually originated in the U.S.

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It's what you tell the mall security guard to take when you're just hanging out with your friends, like in this photo.

Interestingly, the '80s brought a whole new vocabulary for describing the male physique. And the buff-est of them all? Arnold.

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Though we think of beat boxing as replicating the sounds of instruments with one's mouth, the original first use of beat box was to describe those electronic drum machines that were enthusiastically embraced in the musical landscape of the '80s.

"Sixteen Candles" brought this word into the public conscious, which described people and things with that kind of enthusiasm that you can only manage as a teen.

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The '80s were all about being rad, and the state of being rad is clearly "radness."

A handsome man, like the eternally handsome Denzel Washington.

Not the kind where you sleep on a friend's couch while you stay over, but what happens when you just sit around and watch TV all day.

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Called such because of its ability to shock, the more acceptable way of saying one of the words on George Carlin's list of "Words You Can't Say."

This phrase jumped from the world of sports — in 1990, Gary Payton, the Mozart of Trash Talking, would be drafted the Seattle Supersonics. This year is also when "bogus" dotted our vocabulary too.

Nothing says "cool" like alternative spellings, especially if you're a young teen describing your awesome new Gameboy.

The unmentionables of choice for Sears models, Tom Cruise-in-Risky Business impressions, and, of course, NYC's Naked Cowboy.

The SNL sketch and movie "Wayne's World" brought this almost-immediately-overused declaration.

It's hard to trace this one, but some point to the existence of "Da Bomb" by Kris Kross (released in 1993) for this one.

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From Notorious B.I.G.'s "One More Chance" comes this new way to refer to $100 bills.

1995's "Clueless" introduced "As if" into the vocab of anyone who wished they were Cher Horowitz.

This one was popular before "Clueless," but still bled into the year. What can we say, pop culture moved slower back in the '90s.

Remember Will Smith's "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It"? That was 25 years ago. Weird, right? This one was immediately beloved by kids and dads who wanted to seem cool. Because that always works out great.

Again, we're talking critical mass here; see also Russell Simmons' line Phat Farm.

You know who probably loved this word? Elizabeth Taylor.

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This was inescapable thanks to the late-1999 Budweiser ad, which starred Paul Williams and Fred Thomas (shown here with Ken Griffey Jr in 2000). Like "jiggy," this was also immediately overused.

Like most of the slang of the '90s and '00s, it's hard to pin down, but we're putting it here because OED added it this year — perhaps inspired by No Doubt's 2001 hit "Hella Good"?

Refers to your friends, who would do anything for you, including go to all sorts of embarrassing concerts.

Used throughout the early 2000s (much like whale tail), this phrase grew in popularity as low-rise skinny jeans grew in popularity.

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Snoop Dogg gave us these terms, used a bit like "for sure."

Yet again with the disclaimer: It has been used seemingly forever, but we'll put it here thanks to a darling 2006 article that "translated" teen slang speak. Proving to be timeless, it later becomes Louise Belcher's catchphrase on Bob's Burgers.

It was around this time that we started seeing GIFs — images that move on a loop. Now the real debate is whether you pronounce the term Gif (with a hard G) or Jif (with a soft G)?

Yes, a term for jumping into someone's photo unexpectedly did make it into the dictionary.

No, not that kind of salt. Acting "salty" in the modern sense means to get upset or hurt, usually about something trivial.

There's a lot of emphasis packed in these two letters! This acronym stands for "as f*ck" ... and we think you'll know how to use it.

The spiritual successor to calling someone your "boo," BAE is an pet name for your significant other that stands for Before Anyone Else.

This term comes from a documentary-turned-MTV reality show about a man who falls in love with a woman online, only to find out she's not who she says she is. This term has come to represent anyone who lies about who they are online, especially in a romantic relationship.

When Netflix started releasing every episode to their original series all it once, we started watching them all at once. Thanks to streaming series, our viewing habits have definitely changed.

Though they mean the same thing, it's definitely more fun to say shook than surprised.

Ever go on a great date with someone, only to never hear from them again? Congratulations, you've been ghosted.

Originating in the drag scene, this term has entered the mainstream in the past couple of years. Tea is a synonym for gossip — to spill the tea is to share the gossip you've learned.

The only good thing about living in the world of internet trolls is living in a world of clap backs. A clap back is someone standing up for themselves against the hate they get online.

A "woke" person is someone who is educated and sensitive on topics surrounding race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other issues.

There are fans, and then there are stans. For examples of these types of fans, look no further than the fanbases of singers like Beyonce, Ariana Grande, and Britney Spears.

If someone is being "extra," it means they're simply doing too much. From over-the-top outfits to unnecessarily dramatic reactions to just about everything, there's a lot of reasons to use this term.

"Cap" essentially means "lie," while "no cap" is to tell the truth. If you ever see a blue baseball cap emoji, that's usually what it means.

Nicki Minaj taught James Corden the meaning of this term in an April 2022 episode of Carpool Karaoke. "Opps mean opposition," she explained. "[An opp is] anybody that is opposing you in the world!"