Just like fashion, slang goes in and out of style.
Social media has made it even harder to keep up with the trends, as anyone and everyone can share and adopt others' use of language.
As slang continues to evolve daily in person and on the internet, all these words and phrases are subject to their respective ends, when they're axed from public use and deemed "uncool."
But at least for now, here are a few slang terms Gen Z is using in 2024 and what they mean.
If you're told to do something "for the plot," it means to do it for the experience.
[Crowd at Lollapalooza Brazil 2024. Mauricio Santana/Contributor/Getty Images]
Saying "for the plot" is a fun way for Gen Z to encourage each other to do the crazy, fun things that make storytelling fun when you're older.
Urban Dictionary defines "for the plot" as "the conscious decision to see yourself as the main character of the story that is your life," adding: "You maintain the outlook that every moment — good or bad — is merely a plot point for your larger narrative."
An "ick" is a turnoff.
[Olivia Attwood Dack helped coin the term "ick" during her appearance on season three of "Love Island." Hoda Davaine/Dave Benett/Contributor/Getty Images]
Ah, the ick. The term first gained widespread popularity years ago after the "Love Island" contestant Olivia Attwood (now Olivia Attwood Dack) used it during season three, but "the ick" remains a staple in Gen Z's vocabulary.
If someone gives you "the ick," it means they've turned you off, either through their actions or behaviors or something they said.
BI reported "icks" could come from actions as small as using the "wrong" emoji in conversation to as large as treating a service-industry worker poorly.
"Mother" is a popular term of endearment for female celebrities that originated in LGBTQ+ communities.
[Rihanna performs during the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show in 2023. Kevin Mazur/Contributor/Getty Images for Roc Nation]
The New York Times reported last year that the term came from the Black and Latino LGBTQ+ ballroom scene, "a queer subculture in which members are organized into so-called houses often led by a 'mother.'"
"Mother" is a woman deserving of your respect who's had a profound influence on your life.
But who is "mother" depends on whom you ask. For some, it's Diana Ross. For others, it's Rihanna. The internet would argue it's also Reneé Rapp, Mariah Carey, Lana Del Rey — the list goes on.
"Let him cook" means don't stop him from doing his thing.
[The NC State forward DJ Burns Jr. played in the Elite Eight round of the 2024 March Madness tournament. Lance King/Contributor/Getty Images]
While NC State ultimately lost to Purdue in the Final Four, DJ Burns Jr. was a standout in the 2024 March Madness tournament.
His coaches clearly saw how impactful his performance was in their tournament run and decided to "let him cook," upping his average minutes from 24.8 a game in the regular season to 28.2 in their five games of the tournament, per ESPN.
Why call yourself delusional when you can say "delulu"?
[Reneé Rapp at the 35th GLAAD Media Awards in 2024. Matt Winkelmeyer/Staff/Getty Images for GLAAD]
As we've already established, Gen Z loves abbreviations.
"Delulu" simply means delusional.
Rapp, a 24-year-old Gen Zer, famously told the "Today" show last year that what gave her confidence was delusion. She followed up on her comments in Gem Magazine this year, saying, "It's so interesting because I feel like delusion is cute now. Delusion is becoming slay. It's very funny and silly."
"It's just a weird, innate belief in myself," Rapp added, "and a real hunger to do something that I love so much. So I think delusion is like my little BFF. It's got me where I am right now."
As the kids say, delulu is the solulu. (Delusion is the solution).
To see more slang words that Gen Z is using these days, head to Business Insider.
