Wavy - What does "Wavy" mean in British slang?

While living in Italy I have noticed the vast range of adjectives that can be used to describe positive or cool things. Having a lack of knowledge of these in Italian is something that makes me really stand out as a language learner. So today I want to share a great word to describe something in a positive way. Wavy. W-A-V-Y.

A simple definition of the word wavy means for something to be cool and mellow.

The word began to be used and recognised within American rap in the early 2000s in New York City. Rapper Max B released acclaimed mixtapes like Wave Gods in which he used the terms the wave and wavy and they became hip-hop lexicon. In his self-made slang, Max B’s wave and wavy evoke a calm attitude of positivity and creative energy. Referring to the noun wave, describing a moving billow of water.

After using this positive adjective with mellow connotations other rappers such as Kanye West soon followed this trend and now it is commonly used in the UK. It is often used to describe clothing, music, an event or a person for example "wow that party was so wavy!" meaning the party was really good.

It can also be as a comparative "I am wavier than you" meaning i'm cooler than you.
Or a superlative "that coat is the waviest" meaning that coat is the coolest.

Do remember it can also refer to someone being under the influence of drugs or alcohol. "I drank to much wine last night, I was so waved" so be careful how you use it.

So start using it today! Look around you and think about what is wavy? I guarantee if you ask a British friend to help you buy some wavy clothes you wont be disappointed.

That’s our word of the day. You can find us on our website https://theslangpodcast.com and from there you can see our transcript and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and many more apps.

Let’s catch up soon to explore our next slang word.

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