Slang Words Your Ancestors Used in 1920s

Slang words have always been popular throughout the decades. It is great to see what some of those slang or special phrases existed used by your ancestors. Note many of the terms are still used today.

Here are some for the 1920 – the Roaring Twenties:

Plastered – being drunk or totally intoxicated

Baloney – first used in the Saturday Evening Post magazine it means a sham or something phony.

Mad Money – a small amount of money carried by a lady in case she needed it while away from home by herself.

Wet Blanket – someone who won’t do anything daring – only follows strict rules.

Gold Digger – someone who is only interested in money – getting it from someone.

Hotsy-Totsy – The term was coined in 1926 by cartoonist Billie De Beck to mean that each was ok, but eventually came to mean that someone looked more than ok, someone very pleasing to the eye.

Blind Date – Not knowing beforehand the person you are going out on a date with. Generally, a date set up by someone else – friends. This term was first used in 1921.

The Cat’s Pajamas – something that is the most exciting, the coolest.

The Bee’s Knees – meant the most outstanding of anything including a person and at the height of excellence.

Don’t Take Any Wooden Nickels – don’t do anything stupid or crazy.

Include some of these terms in your family history.

Related FamilyTree.com Blogs:

1920s- New and Exciting

Inventions of the 1920s

Prices of the 1920s

< Return To Blog A sweet fun read. Being 77 now I've heard 'em ALL somewhere! LOL

G.Dianne C Wehrman 17/06/22

So glad you read the blogs and enjoy this one.

alice 17/06/22