L

L’s, (ells) n., license to drive a car. “Yo, I finally got my L’s.” [Etym., 90’s youth]

Like (like) prep., similar to, approximately. “We lived like kings.” Also used as a marker, space-maker in sentences – the way um and ah are used, as well as the Spanish “digo.” “I’m like telling my mom that like I have to go the mall and like she’s like tweakin’” [Etym., in this usage, first used by jazz musicians in 30’s and 40’s, beatniks in the 50’s, youth in 60’s to now; also prominent in “valley talk.”]

Louie, (LOO-ee) n., Left. As in, “The club’s over that way! Hang a louie.” [Etym., beatnik slang, 1950’s]

M

Mac, (mak) n., (also spelled, mack), A male that is able to get with many women. “That guy in those fancy glasses is a mac.” As a verb, to be outgoing about liking someone, to flirt with skill. “He was macking her during the whole evening and never left her side.” Also: mac-daddy, n., a popular male. [Etym., French, macineau, pimp]

Mainy, (MAY-nee) adj., Crazy or willing to do something no one else around will do. “You mainy, blood, and I don’t want to get caught up in that.” [Etym., African American]

Moded, (MO-ded) verb, past participle used as adj., being taken advantage of, being disrespected. “That was cold, brother, you got moded.” [Etym., 90’s youth culture]

Mon (mon) n., Man, friend, comrade. “How ya doin’, mon?” [Etym., Rastafarian.]

Money, (MUH-nee) n., Friend, good person. “Hey, I’ll catch you later, money.” Also, anything good. “That was a great movie, it was money!” [Etym., African American]

Mota, (MOW-tah) n., marijuana, bot. cannabis sativa. “Hey, pass that mota.” [Etym., Spanish, drug sub-culture]

N

Nah, Also, naw (nah, naw), interj. No. A way of showing disagreement. “Nah, I don’t want to.” “Hell, naw.” [Etym., 90’s youth culture]

Nasty, Also narsty, (NAS-tee, NARS-tee) adj., Not tasteful, disgusting, sexually perverse. “I heard that girl got nasty after the prom.” When used as a noun, sexual relations. “They were doin’ the nasty.” [Etym., Hip hop]

Nizzel (NI-zul) n., Friend, brother, family. “You’re my main nizzel.” [Etym., African American]

No Ma Mes, (No MAH mace) phrase, interjection., literally, don’t suck on me (as a mother cow might say to her calf), don’t bother me. “Hey, man, forget about it, no ma mes.” [Etym., Chicano/Spanish]

O

O.G. (oh gee) n., Original Gangster, a comrade of long standing, a veteran or elder. “We had to learn our ways from the OG’s.” [Etym., African American]