If You've Said This 'Slang' Word, You're Probably From Washington

By Zuri Anderson

August 25, 2021

Washington state of United States flag textile cloth fabric waving on the top sunrise mist fog
Photo: Getty Images

People can say the strangest things. What's strange to some of us, however, may be normal for others.

Just like how different states can have unique music, cultures, and food, they have their own sayings and words. If you're from Washington, chances are you'll be familiar with certain slang terms. But what's the one word separating a Washingtonian from anyone else from the U.S.?

Slacker has the answer after finding out the most notable, and sometimes wacky, slang term in each state. "Americans also have massive amounts of state pride... Taking data from various sources, we've highlighted some of the weird, wacky, and outright crazy slang words Americans use in everyday conversations," the website wrote.

According to Stacker, true Washington natives know the word...

Skookum!

"Much like pidgin, Chinook jargon is not the official language of any one Native American tribe," researchers explained. "Rather, it's a collection of words and phrases various tribes who spoke different languages used to speak to each other. Many Chinook words are still used in Washington, including skookum, which means strong or tough."

Some other notable examples include "cackalacky" from South Carolina, "hella" from California, and "recombobulation" from Wisconsin. To see the full report, click here.

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