Words That Are Older Than You Think

Hang out

Since the 1830s, “hang out” has been used as a verb to describe passing the time without doing anything specific. “Do you want to hang out?” is considered slang, but it is a common question that has regularly been used in a casual manner since the 1850s.

Babe

“Babe” signifies “old woman” in various languages. “Babe” in the sense of “attractive chick” seems 1970s to me. However, the concept of babe has existed since the early 1900s.

Dude 

“Dude” had a pejorative, ridiculing ring to it in the 1880s. A dude was a dandy, someone who was obsessed with his looks, clothes, and mannerisms, and represented an exaggerated upper-class British character. At the turn of the century, the term referred to any man who was generally pretty cool.

Hat tip to merriam-webster and OED

Copyright ©2022 by S. Harrison