1960s Slang Words We Seriously Need to Start Using Again

Language is constantly evolving, and slang terms of the past are all but gone in modern conversation. Still, the 1960s was full of groovy gems we don’t want to completely let go of.

From foxy to fuzz, you can bet your sweet bippy this list will serve as a blast from the past.

1: Mod

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Mod is short for “modernist” and refers to a prevalent 1960s subculture. It started in London in the ’50s, and by the ’60s, mod culture had gone international. Participating youth dressed in iconic fashion and often enjoyed clubbing on the weekends.  

2: Neato

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In the 1950s, people described things they liked as neat. By the 1960s, teens had added a playful “o” to the end of the word. 

3: Groovy

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Groovy might be the most well-known 1960s slang word for something cool. It started as a musical term referring to the stylus or needle of a record player being “in the groove” of the record.  

4: Split 

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In the ’60s, split didn’t mean to divide. Rather, it meant to leave, as in, “The show was boring, so we split.” 

5: Bag

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If you bagged something in the 1960s, you probably stole it. “To bag” was synonymous with “to steal.” 

6: Mellow

Friends drinking.
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People still use the term mellow today, but not like they did in the past. While you might describe a paint color or a personality as mellow now, in the 1960s, it often meant someone was inebriated. 

7: Bummer

Couple with crossed arms.
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Some people still say “bummer” to describe something sad or negative, but it was much more prevalent in the 1960s. It stemmed from the words “bum rap,” which meant something wasn’t fair. 

8: Fuzz

Police officer.
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If the fuzz were after you, you probably committed a crime. “Fuzz” referred to police officers, and there are several theories on where the term originated. One states that it was a reference to the somewhat fuzzy hats London police officers wore. 

9: Foxy

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Calling a woman foxy or referring to them as a fox was a compliment. It meant the woman was very good-looking. 

10: Bippy

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Bippy was slang for your rear or backside. It came from a 1960s TV show called Laugh In, which drew over 60 million viewers a week. 

11: Bogart

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Humphrey Bogart was a renowned performer who died in the late 50s, but his legacy continued in the 60s and beyond, thanks to this slang term. Bogart came to be synonymous with keeping something all to yourself, and it originated from the actor’s habit of keeping a cancer stick in the corner of his mouth.

12: Grass

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Grass used in a slang context, meant Mary Jane, if you get our drift. Though such a substance was federally prohibited and illegal in all fifty states at the time, its popularity surged, and many teens began using it.   

13: Heavy

Microphone in preparation for a speech.
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In the 1960s, heavy didn’t refer to physical weight. Instead, it usually meant something was powerful or controversial, as in “That speech was heavy, man.” 

14: Bread

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Teens in the ’60s used bread in place of cash. So, if you were out of bread, it meant you were broke, not in need of a quick grocery store run. 

15: Cherry

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Calling something a cherry in the 1960s wasn’t a comparison to the sweet fruit. Instead, cherry described anything in mint condition. 

16: Ape

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If someone went “ape” in the ’60s, they went crazy or got really mad, as in, “When I crashed my dad’s car, he went ape!” 

17: Boss

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Calling something boss in the 1960s meant that it was really great or fantastic. Ford took advantage of the slang term when they launched the Boss 302 Mustang in 1969. 

18: Grotty

Liverpool, England.
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Grotty is short for grotesque. It stems from the 1964 novelization of the Beatles, “A Hard’s Day Night,” by Alun Owen. George Harrison also spoke the word in the movie by the same name.  

19: Cat

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Felines have long been associated with femininity, but the ’60s seemed to specialize in turning things upside down. At the time, people used “cat” as a synonym for man. 

20: Chop

Outsider among friends.
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If someone chopped you down in the 1960s, it meant they verbally insulted you. People also used the term “knock” to express being degraded. 

21: Deuce

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Deuce classically refers to the number two, but in the ’60s, it meant putting two fingers up, also known as making a peace sign. 

22: Jam

People playing the guitar.
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Jam in the ’60s didn’t always refer to a sweet fruit spread. Instead, “jam” referred to playing music, often with a group. As in, “Let’s have a jam session.” 

23: Dove

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The Vietnam War stretched the course of the 1960s and was extremely controversial. If someone was outspokenly anti-war, they might be labeled a dove. 

24: Hawk

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Hawks are violent birds of prey, which might be why the term became synonymous with pro-war advocates in the 1960s.

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