Local slang is nothing new, and Florida has its own repertoire of slang vocabulary known mainly to local residents.
According to Your Dictionary, the following 21 slang terms are native to Florida, so those moving to the state should probably get familiar with these phrases.
1. “ACERE”
In South Florida, this term is used to refer to friends. It’s a common Cuban term.
EXAMPLE: “Acere, what’s up?”
2. “BIH”
This handy word acts as an all-purpose noun, able to refer to pretty much any person, place or thing.
EXAMPLE: “What’s wrong with that bih over there?”
3. “BUSSIN”
“Bussin” is a way to tell someone that a certain type of food was really delicious.
EXAMPLE: “Let’s go there again; that burrito place was bussin.”
4. “DALE”
This word means “bye” or “hurry up.” It’s typically used by those in Miami with Cuban roots.
EXAMPLE: “Come on, dale. We’ve got to get home.”
5. “FLORIDA BATH”
Not everyone has time to jump in the shower. A “Florida bath” refers to rinsing off with a dip in the pool, instead.
EXAMPLE: “I don’t need to shower, Mom; I already had a Florida bath.”
6. “FLORIDABULOUS”
This slang term is derogatory, used to describe weird events involving Florida residents.
EXAMPLE: “Oh, man! I heard about that. It was Floridabulous.”
7. “FLORIDA HAPPY MEAL”
Despite the name, this slang term doesn’t refer to anything from McDonald’s — or children, for that matter. Instead, it’s a purchase involving beer, cigarettes and lottery tickets.
EXAMPLE: “She ran up to the store to get a Florida Happy Meal.”
8. “FLORIDA MAN”
Even people outside of Florida are familiar with this term. Given the number of strange news stories stemming from Florida, an entire phrase arose to describe the phenomenon.
Typically, “Florida Man” is used to describe incidents where a resident from Florida engages in bizarre — and often even criminal — behavior.
EXAMPLE: “Did you see that headline about the guy being arrested for sticking chicken nuggets up his brother’s nose? That was a Florida Man for sure.”
9. “GATOR”
Easy enough; this is just a condensed version of the term “alligator.”
EXAMPLE: “Did you see that gator?”
10. “HUNDID”
This slang term is a bastardized form of the word “hundred.”
EXAMPLE: “Did you see all those bills? That guy was rolling in hundids.”
11. “IT’LL PASS”
Wet weather is a given in Florida, and this phrase is used to describe the short rain showers that are common in the region.
EXAMPLE: “Don’t worry; it’ll pass, then we can go to the park.”
12. “JIT”
“Jit” is a slang word that refers to someone younger than oneself — typically a child.
EXAMPLE: “The jit has a lot of gall to hit on my sister.”
13. “LOVEBUGS”
March flies — also known as “honeymoon flies” or “two-headed bugs” — are mostly commonly called “lovebugs” due to their unique mating behaviors.
Male and female lovebugs attach themselves while mating and stay connected during flight, which is what led to the nickname.
EXAMPLE: “These lovebugs are everywhere.”
14. “NO-SEE-UMS”
These annoying, blood-sucking flies are incredibly irritating for many Florida residents.
They generally span only a few millimeters long, making them incredibly difficult to spot, hence the term.
EXAMPLE: “I’m trying to get rid of those no-see-ums.”
15. “OYE”
A phrase most often found in South Florida, it’s a greeting much like “Hello.” Like several other words on this list, it’s derived from Cuban populations.
EXAMPLE: “Oye, how you doing?”
16. “PUB SUB”
Publix is a staple grocery chain in Florida, so it’s little surprise that slang popped up for it.
A “Pub Sub” is a sub bought from a Publix store’s deli department.
EXAMPLE: “I didn’t have time, so I grabbed a Pub Sub.”
17. “SNOWBIRDS”
This is how Florida residents refer to northerners who move to the state or visit during winter to escape the cold weather.
According to Green’s Dictionary of Slang, it came into this meaning around the 1920s.
Before then, the word reportedly referred to “an impoverished tramp who enlists in the forces as the winter arrives in order to get food and shelter for the next few months, then deserts when the warmer weather returns.”
EXAMPLE: “That entire trailer park is full of snowbirds.”
18. “THE FLORIJORITY”
This phrase refers to Florida’s role in elections. Thanks to the large population of the state, it tends to have a lot of pull when it comes to presidential elections.
EXAMPLE: “That election might have gone either way if it weren’t for The Florijority.”
19. “VIBIN”
“Vibin” is just a condensed form of the word “vibing.” It’s generally used to indicate that someone is relaxing.
EXAMPLE: “We are just vibin today.”
20. “PARKED IN GOOFY”
You don’t want to find yourself in this situation. “Parked in Goofy” means that you’re parked in a lot far from where you want to be.
It gets its roots from Walt Disney World, where the Goofy parking lot got a reputation as the farthest from the center.
EXAMPLE: “I’m never going to be late again. I’m so tired of being parked in Goofy.”
21. “WICKED UP”
Anyone who’s had too much alcohol likely understands this phrase. It means that someone drank so much that they weren’t able to walk or talk properly.
EXAMPLE: “Man, you were wicked up last night. I had to basically carry you to the house.”
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