Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “slang” come from?

slang (English) comes from English sling, from English spiderling, from English Ling, from Middle English ling, from Old Norse lyng, from Proto-Germanic lingwą, from Proto-Indo-European lengʷʰom, from Proto-Indo-European lengʷʰ- — light, agile, nimble; light, not heavy, agile,...

slang (English): Language outside of conventional usage and in the...

Definitions

  1. Language outside of conventional usage and in the...

Ancestry of “slang”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishslingTo throw with a circular or arcing motion; To...
2EnglishspiderlingAn immature spider; Any of various herbaceous...
3EnglishLing—
4Middle Englishling—
5Old Norselyngheather, ling
6Proto-Germaniclingwąheather, ling
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlengʷʰom—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlengʷʰ-light, agile, nimble; light, not heavy, agile,...

Words derived from “slang”

  • slangy
  • slangily
  • slanginess
  • backslang
  • slangish
  • slangwhanger
  • cyberslang
  • slangless
  • netslang
  • slangous
  • antislang
  • сленг
  • slang
  • Slang
  • スラング
  • slang
  • sleng
  • сленг
  • slang
  • szleng
  • slang
  • slang
  • slang
  • סלנג
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lengʷʰ- →