What does "slay" mean on social media? (And other social media acronyms)

What does "slay" mean on social media? (And other social media acronyms)

There are numerous social media acronyms that you will encounter when using various platforms. Familiarising yourself with them is crucial if you do not want to feel left out in conversations. One of the most commonly used words is "slay". What does "slay" mean on social media? Discover today.

acronyms used in social media
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Many people have Googled the question, "What does "slay" mean on social media?". If you are among the people who do not know most of the social media acronyms and slang words, fret not. We will educate you right away.

What does "slay" mean on social media?

The word slay is not new in the English language. However, its meaning on social media is different from the original meaning.

Original meaning of the word slay

The Cambridge English Dictionary states the meaning of slay is killing or murdering another in a violent way.

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Social media meaning

When using this word on social media, no violence is implied. Slay is a commonly used slang word that explains that someone is doing a great job or is a good person.

It means that someone is the best of the best. It can also be used as an expression of admiration and appreciation for someone.

If a person is the best, then they are a slay king or queen. If one does something really cool, they have slayed it, e.g. if a lady has won a dress that makes them look particularly good, she has slayed the dress.

Acronyms used on social media and their meanings

Below are some popular acronyms on social media and what they mean.

Famous acronyms on social media: formal

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social media acronyms
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Below are some formal acronyms. They are often used by people conducting business online.

  • FB: Facebook
  • IG: Instagram
  • LI: LinkedIn
  • YT: YouTube
  • TW: Twitter
  • DM: Direct message
  • MT: Modified tweet
  • PM: Private message
  • RT: Retweeting, i.e. when you share someone’s Tweet to your own feed
  • B2B: Business to business
  • B2C: Business to consumer
  • CMGR: Community manager
  • CMS: Content management system
  • CPC: Cost per click
  • CPM: Cost per thousand impressions or cost per mille
  • CR: Conversion rate
  • CRO: Conversion rate optimisation
  • CTA: Call to action
  • CTR: Click-through rate
  • SMP: Social media platform
  • SMM: Social media marketing
  • SMO: Social media optimisation
  • SoLoMo: Social, local and mobile
  • SRP: Social relationship platform
  • TOS: Terms of service
  • UGC: User-generated content
  • API: Application programming interface
  • ISP: Internet service provider
  • PV: Page views
  • SOV: Share of voice
  • UX: User experience
  • UV: Unique views

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Informal social media acronyms

social media acronyms
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There are many commonly used informal acronyms on social media. They are mainly used in communication between friends, family, and acquaintances.

  • AFAIK: As far as I know
  • AMA: Ask me anything
  • BRB: Be right back
  • BTAIM: Be that as it may
  • BTS: Behind the scenes
  • BTW: By the way
  • DAE: Does anyone else?
  • DYK: Did you know?
  • ELI5: Explain like I’m five
  • FBF: Flashback Friday
  • FBO: Facebook official
  • FF: Follow Friday
  • FOMO: Fear of missing out
  • FTFY: Fixed that for you
  • FTW: For the win
  • FYI: For your information
  • G2G/ GTG: Got to go
  • GG: Good game
  • GOAT: Greatest Of All Time
  • GTR: Got to run
  • HBD: Happy birthday
  • HIFW: How I feel when
  • HMB: Hit me back
  • HMU: Hit me up
  • HT: Hat tip
  • HTH: Here/ happy to help
  • ICYMI: In case you missed it
  • IDC: I don’t care
  • IDK: I don’t know
  • IKR: I know, right?
  • ILY: I love you
  • IMHO: In my humble opinion
  • IMO: In my opinion
  • IRL: In real life
  • JK: Just kidding
  • LMAO: Laughing my a** off
  • LMK: Let me know
  • LMS: Like my status
  • LOL: Laughing out loud
  • MCM: Man crush Monday
  • MFW: My face when
  • MTFBWY: May the Force be with you
  • NBD: No big deal
  • NM: Not much
  • NSFW: Not safe for work
  • NVM: Never mind
  • OMW: On my way
  • OOTD: Outfit of the day
  • OP: Original poster
  • OTP: One true pairing
  • ROFL: Rolling on the floor laughing
  • ROFLMAO: Rolling on the floor laughing my a** off
  • SMH: Shaking my head
  • TBH: To be honest
  • TBT: Throwback Thursday
  • TFW: That feeling when
  • TGIF: Thank God it’s Friday
  • TMI: Too much information
  • WBW: Way back Wednesday
  • WFH: Work from home
  • YOLO: You only live once

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Commonly used slang words

social media acronyms
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Source: UGC

Below are common slang words you may come across whenever you use various social media platforms.

  • Clickbait: Using a provocative title with the sole intention of driving clicks
  • Cray: Short for crazy
  • Crushing it: When someone is doing exceptionally well on something
  • Facepalm: When someone does or says something utterly stupid
  • Fam: Short for family
  • Fire: When something is exceptionally good
  • I can't even: Shows the speaker’s inability to convey emotions because they are ecstatic or frustrated
  • On fleek: On point
  • Savage: When someone or something is extremely harsh
  • Squad goals: A term used to describe something that you would like your group to achieve
  • Thirsty: When someone is too eager or seems too desperate
  • Throwing shade: The act of publicly disrespecting someone
  • Trendjacking: When people take over a trending topic with irrelevant content
  • Yaas: An enthusiastic form of yes.

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Who is a slay girl?

Slay girl is normally used interchangeably with slay queen. It can have a positive or negative connotation. If used positively, it means someone who can do something great or one who overshadows everyone else with their appearance.

Most times, it has a negative connotation. It is commonly used to refer to inexperienced and ignorant girls who do not date broke guys. They spend most of their time on social media showing off stuff they do not actually possess.

What is the full form of IDK?

The full form of IDK is I don't know. Many times, IDK is used to end conversations that may not be particularly interesting or to brush someone off. Sometimes, it expresses a genuine response that one does not know something.

What is the full form of GOAT?

The full form of GOAT is Greatest Of All Time. This acronym is usually used when describing people who have done exceptional things in the world, e.g. Eliud Kipchoge is the GOAT, meaning he is the greatest marathoner of all time.

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It is important for all social media users to know various social media acronyms. The comprehensive list of acronyms and slang words will help you avoid asking potentially embarrassing questions such as, "What does "slay" mean on social media?"

READ ALSO: What is acknowledgement in project writing: Tips and examples

Legit.ng recently published how to write an acknowledgement in project writing. An acknowledgement helps you recognise and appreciate everyone that helped with your project.

An acknowledgement in project writing should be brief and not include personal information. It should use straightforward and professional language to express gratitude to all the people, institutions, and businesses who helped you complete the project successfully.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Cyprine Apindi avatar

Cyprine Apindi (Lifestyle writer) Cyprine Apindi is a content creator and educator with over six years of experience. She holds a Diploma in Mass Communication and a Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from Kenyatta University. Cyprine joined Briefly.co.za in mid-2021, covering multiple topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. In 2023, she finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. She received the 2023 Writer of the Year Award. In 2024, she completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: cyprineapindi@gmail.com

Adrianna Simwa avatar

Adrianna Simwa (Lifestyle writer) Adrianna Simwa is a content writer at Legit.ng where she has worked since mid-2022. She has written for many periodicals on a variety of subjects, including news, celebrities, and lifestyle, for more than three years. She has worked for The Hoth, The Standard Group and Triple P Media. Adrianna graduated from Nairobi University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in 2020. In 2023, Simwa finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. You can reach her through her email: adriannasimwa@gmail.com