The Ultimate 2025 Gen Alpha Slang Dictionary for UK Parents
A. The “Vibe” & “Personality” Words
- Rizz: (Noun/Verb) Short for “charisma.” It means having a natural ability to charm, flirt, or impress someone.
- Example: “That new kid has serious rizz.” / “He tried to rizz her up but failed.”
- Parent context: Often used innocently, but can extend to online flirting.
- Sigma: (Noun/Adjective) Refers to a lone wolf, an independent and self-reliant person who doesn’t follow trends or seek validation. Often associated with “sigma males.”
- Example: “He’s a sigma, always doing his own thing.”
- Parent context: Can be harmless, but sometimes linked to anti-social or dismissive attitudes towards others.
- Alpha: (Noun/Adjective) While “alpha male” used to be common, Gen Alpha uses it to describe someone who is generally a leader, confident, and takes charge, without the toxic connotations of older generations.
- Example: “She’s totally alpha, always organizing the group.”
- Aura: (Noun) A person’s distinctive atmosphere or quality. Can be positive, negative, or even ironic (“bad aura”).
- Example: “That kid has a chill aura.” / “Don’t mess with him, he’s got bad aura.”
- Main Character Energy (MCE): (Noun) Behaving as if you are the protagonist of a story. Often used positively for confidence, sometimes negatively for narcissism.
- Example: “She walked in with total main character energy.”
B. The “Reaction” & “Expression” Words
- Skibidi (or Skibidi Toilet): (Phrase) Originally from a surreal, viral YouTube series featuring singing heads in toilets. Now used as a general term for something bizarre, chaotic, or “cringe.”
- Example: “That video was so skibidi.” / “This game is a bit skibidi.”
- Parent context: The original videos can be very loud, unsettling, and repetitive, so be aware if your child is engrossed.
- Gyatt / Gyat: (Noun) A phonetic shortening and slang term for “goddamn,” specifically used to refer to a large backside/buttocks.
- Example: “Look at that gyatt!”
- Parent context: Red Flag. This is often used in sexually explicit or objectifying contexts, particularly by boys/young men. If you hear this, it’s a prompt for a conversation about respect and online content.
- Cap / No Cap: (Noun/Adverb) “Cap” means a lie or exaggeration. “No cap” means “no lie,” “for real,” or “I’m serious.”
- Example: “I scored a goal, no cap!” / “That’s cap, you did not.”
- Parent context: Generally harmless, just a new way of saying “truth” or “lie.”
- Bussin’: (Adjective) Exceptionally good, delicious, or amazing, especially related to food.
- Example: “This pizza is bussin’!”
- Parent context: Totally harmless.
- Sus: (Adjective) Short for “suspicious.” Often used in the context of games like Among Us, but now general slang for anything or anyone seeming questionable.
- Example: “That guy acting really sus.”
- Parent context: Generally harmless, but can sometimes be used to jokingly accuse friends of “being weird.”
Why This Slang Matters for UK Parents
- Connection: Understanding their language helps you bridge the generational gap.
- Safety: Terms like “Gyatt” or knowing the origin of “Skibidi Toilet” can alert you to potentially inappropriate content they are consuming.
- Context: It allows you to decipher jokes, frustrations, and social dynamics in their world.
The Ultimate Explainer: 👉 [The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt]
- Why: While not a slang dictionary, this book is essential for understanding the underlying societal shifts driving Gen Alpha’s digital culture. Highly relevant for 2025 UK parents.
For Family Connection: 👉 [Conversation Cards for Families]
- Why: Helps open communication channels, which is essential when trying to understand new slang and what’s happening in their online lives.