At Let’s Learn Slang, we’re nerds about slang terms and how they vary by region. In a country as large as the United States, it’s truly amazing how many slang words there are unique to specific states.
In this list, we’re going to take a look at Florida slang words and sayings. This state has some truly interesting turns of phrases that are worth looking more closely at.
Let’s jump right in…
Florida Slang Words and Sayings
A
Acere
Meaning:
- (Noun): Another word for friend.
- Example: “Jorge is my acere. We hang out every weekend.”
Read Also: Slang Words for Friends
America’s Wang
Meaning:
- (Noun): This is a humorous nickname for the whole state of Florida. It refers to Florida’s distinctly phallic shape.
B
Bap
Meaning:
- (Noun): An object that’s broken, useless, or outdated.
- Example: “Phones older than five years are baps.”
Bih
Meaning:
- (Noun): This is a generalized term that can be used in place of pretty much any noun. You can use it to describe objects, people, or places.
- Example: “Oh, that bih? I haven’t seen ‘em for a week.”
Bobo
Meaning:
- (Adjective): Anything that’s poor in quality.
- Example: “His ‘new’ car is bobo. He shouldn’t have bought it.”
Bro
Meaning:
- (Noun): Word that’s short for “brother.” You can use this refer to just about any guy you know.
- Example: “Hey, bro, what’s up?”
Buss
Meaning:
- (Adjective): A way to describe food that’s extremely tasty.
- Example: “My mom made us a bussin’ dinner last night.”
F
Florida Bath
Meaning:
- (Noun): When someone gets clean by taking a dip in their pool rather than showering or bathing.
- Example: “It’s so gross that he cleans himself by taking a Florida bath.”
Florida Happy Meal
Meaning:
- (Noun): A joking term that refers to getting a pack of cigarettes, beer, and lottery tickets.
- Example: “She stopped to grab a Florida happy meal on the way home.”
Related Article: Slang Words for Cigarettes
Florida Man
Meaning:
- (Noun): This is a term that has achieved meme status. It makes a joke about how so many crazy headlines begin with or reference men in Florida doing bizarre things. For examples, all you need to do is search “Florida man headlines,” and you’ll get tons of actual newspaper headlines that will likely make you laugh.
- Example: “Florida Man Beats ATM, Says It Gave Too Much Cash”
Floridabulous
Meaning:
- (Adjective): A phrase that many Floridians look on with disdain. It’s seen as trashy and unoriginal. It also means trashy and weird.
- Example: “Did you see the latest article about that man in Florida? It was so Floridabulous!”
Floridiot
Meaning:
- (Noun): Derogatory slang word that refers to an unintelligent person who just so happens to be from Florida.
- Example: “There were so many Floridiots at the beach last night.”
Florijority
Meaning:
- (Noun): A term that references how Florida tends to be influential in elections.
- Example: “The Florijority is what decided the vote in the last presidential election.”
G
Gator
Meaning:
- (Noun): As you might have guessed, this is just an abbreviation of the word “alligator.” It’s not slang for anything other than the animal.
- Example: “She said she’s used to seeing gators in her swimming pool.”
God’s Waiting Room
Meaning:
- (Noun): Another nickname for the whole state of Florida. This is a little bit of darker humor that refers to how many senior citizens like to move to Florida when they retire.
Gunshine State
Meaning:
- (Noun): Yet another nickname for Florida. This time, it’s just a reference to how the state is shaped kind of like a gun.
H
Have a Good One
Meaning:
- (Expression): A common and nice way to bid someone farewell in Florida.
- Example: “Talk to you later. Have a good one!”
Howzabout
Meaning:
- (Expression): Slang that’s specific to South Florida. It just means “how’s about…”
- Example: “Howzabout we grab some food quick before the game?”
J
Jax
Meaning:
- (Noun): Short and affectionate nickname for the city of Jacksonville, Florida.
- Example: “He says he’s from Jax.”
Jit
Meaning:
- (Noun): Anyone who’s younger than you. Generally used as something you can call kids.
- Example: “I never hang out there because it’s always filled with loud jits.”
Jorts
Meaning:
- (Noun): Jean shorts, a staple in the outfits of many Floridians.
- Example: “She is always wearing a pair of jorts.”
L
Love Bugs
Meaning:
- (Noun): This term sounds much more romantic than it actually is. Unfortunately, love bugs aren’t cute couples – they’re actual insects that attach to each other during mating season.
- Example: “He hates when love bugs mess up his windshield.”
N
No See ‘Ums
Meaning:
- (Noun): A generalized phrase that can be applied to small insects you don’t really see that bite you.
- Example: “You should stay inside – the no see ‘ums are everywhere tonight.”
O
O-Town
Meaning:
- (Noun): Nickname for the city of Orlando.
- Example: “Want to drive to O-Town this weekend?”
Oye
Meaning:
- (Interjection): Cuban slang that can be used as a greeting.
P
Parked in Goofy
Meaning:
- (Expression): You say this to indicate that you had to park far away from your goal.
- Example: “We had to park in Goofy, so it’s going to be a bit of a walk.”
Pub Sub
Meaning:
- (Noun): In other regions of the United States, you might call the pub sub a grocery store sandwich. These are subs you can purchase at Publix stores.
- Example: “While she was grocery shopping, she bought herself a pub sub for lunch.”
R
Rawvera
Meaning:
- (Noun): A nickname for Riviera Beach, a city in Florida.
S
Sleep
Meaning:
- (Verb): Missing out on something or letting an opportunity pass you by.
- Example: “You’ll be sleeping if you don’t come bar hopping with me tonight.”
Slide
Meaning:
- (Verb): To go somewhere.
- Example: “I’m going to slide on over to his house after work today.”
Snowbirds
Meaning:
- (Noun): People who go down to Florida for the winter to escape the cold and go back up to northern regions during the summer.
- Example: “My parents, who have a second property in Florida, are snowbirds.”
Soflo/Sofla
Meaning:
- (Noun): Another way to say, “South Florida.”
T
The Sixth Borough
Meaning:
- (Noun): A nickname for Florida that pokes fun at how so many people from New York retire there.
New York has its own incredibly extensive and unique slang vernacular. You can learn more about it in our list of New York slang words and phrases.
V
Vibe
Meaning:
- (Verb): To be feeling positive about anything.
- Example: “I’m really vibing with this music right now.”
W
Wicked Up
Meaning:
- (Adjective): The state of being deeply intoxicated.
- Example: “She no longer goes drinking with her boyfriend because he always gets wicked up.”
Read Also: Slang Words for Beer
Wrap Up
If you’re planning on taking a vacation in Florida, it never hurts to learn what the locals are saying. That way, you won’t stick out like a sore thumb while you’re there. We hope this list helped you discover words and phrases you’ve never heard before.
But why stop with Florida? Many other states have their own colorful vocabularies, including Texas, which has a range of fun slang words.
