# Classic slang for "cool" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 8, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101 "2005-11-08T20:50:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sanders)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/1 "2005-11-08T20:50:50Z")
I’m trying to entertain (and possibly even educate!) my students by coming up with a list of slang words that have been used as synonyms for “cool” over the past decades and centuries. Right now I’ve got: spiffy - 1940’s? swell - 1950’s? nifty - 1980’s? radical - 1980’s? neat - 1990’s? cool - current I know “cool” is current because my students use it. The rest of the dates are basically guesses, because I sure don’t remember (and I still use half of them, too). Anybody have any more? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/2 "2005-11-08T20:53:52Z")
> [@Sanders](#): > > I’m trying to entertain (and possibly even educate!) my students by coming up with a list of slang words that have been used as synonyms for “cool” over the past decades and centuries. > > Right now I’ve got: > > spiffy - 1940’s? > swell - 1950’s? > nifty - 1980’s? > radical - 1980’s? > neat - 1990’s? > cool - current > > I know “cool” is current because my students use it. The rest of the dates are basically guesses, because I sure don’t remember (and I still use half of them, too). > > Anybody have any more? '60s - Boss '70s- Righteous and I think the current term is “kewl”. You have to say it with a certain California valley-speak accent. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/3 "2005-11-08T20:58:18Z")
I have no cites, but I’m pretty sure that “cool” has been around for quite some time. Yes it’s still current, but it dates from at least the '50s (I think). I also believe that “nifty” and “neat” have been around since the '50s, too. Again, no cites, just what I remember from books/magazines/tv shows. A couple more from the ‘80s are "bitchin’" and “tripendicular.” From the '90s, we have “tight.” ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/4 "2005-11-08T20:58:37Z")
> [@Online Etymology Dictionary](#): > > Slang use for “fashionable” is 1933, originally Black English, said to have been popularized in jazz circles by tenor saxophonist Lester Young. So it has a bit of a history. If Stan Freberg and my father are to be believed, the phrase “real george” was around in the 50’s. I can’t find anything on Google, though. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/5 "2005-11-08T21:02:53Z")
From growing up in the 80’s: wicked, awesome, radical, bad ---
**Author:** ![Catalyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Catalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catalyst)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/6 "2005-11-08T21:03:20Z")
The OED’s earliest citation for _cool_ in this sense is from 1948: > [@OED Online](#): > > **1948** New Yorker 3 July 28 The bebop people have a language of their own… Their expressions of approval include ‘cool’! > **1953** Time 14 Sept. 68/3 The latest Tin Pan Alley argot, where ‘cool’ means good, ‘crazy’ means wonderful. ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/7 "2005-11-08T21:03:59Z")
Awesome went over into the 90s too. Napoleon Dynamite gave us ‘sweet.’ ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/8 "2005-11-08T21:33:39Z")
The '60’s gave us “groovy”, the '70’s “uptight” and “outta sight”. ---
**Author:** ![Ghanima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Ghanima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ghanima)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/9 "2005-11-08T21:38:13Z")
phat, tight, bitchin ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/10 "2005-11-08T21:40:07Z")
> [@Sanders](#): > > I’m trying to entertain (and possibly even educate!) my students by coming up with a list of slang words that have been used as synonyms for “cool” over the past decades and centuries. > > Right now I’ve got: > > spiffy - 1940’s? > swell - 1950’s? > nifty - 1980’s? > radical - 1980’s? > neat - 1990’s? > cool - current > > I know “cool” is current because my students use it. The rest of the dates are basically guesses, because I sure don’t remember (and I still use half of them, too). > > Anybody have any more? actually I think “nifty” is earlier - 1950’s perhaps, and “spiffy” is 1960’s “cool” is perennial - it was used as far back as the 40’s, possibly the 30’s. “neat” is definitely 1960’s I’ll add late 90’s: FABulous (with the “FAB” part being said in a high squeaky voice and the rest normally) mid to late 60’s: “fabu” ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/11 "2005-11-08T21:41:59Z")
Michael Jackson gave us “bad.” “Far out” was used a lot… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/12 "2005-11-08T21:42:27Z")
“Tubular” and “Totally Tubular” were used in the 80’s after they were made known in a few movies and a song. Odd ones. I sure they were rare. [Strange uses of the phrase on the web.](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Totally+Tubular&btnG=Google+Search) Jim ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/13 "2005-11-08T21:45:23Z")
“Radical” fits in somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/14 "2005-11-08T21:46:28Z")
> [@myskepticsight](#): > > Napoleon Dynamite gave us ‘sweet.’ Hate to correct spelling, but it’s “schweeeet”. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dangerous\_Nan\_McGrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecd19e/32.png) [@Dangerous\_Nan\_McGrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerous_Nan_McGrew)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/15 "2005-11-08T21:52:54Z")
I heard “sweet” way before I saw Napoleon Dynamite. I’d say it’s at least as old as '90s. And “swell” goes back to at least the '20s. Not very widely used by people who aren’t Firefly geeks, but I think “shiny” should be the new “cool”. Who’s with me?! _crickets_ ---
**Author:** ![gooftroopag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gooftroopag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gooftroopag)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/16 "2005-11-08T21:55:59Z")
gnarly ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/17 "2005-11-08T22:29:31Z")
> [@Dangerous Nan McGrew](#): > > Not very widely used by people who aren’t Firefly geeks, but I think “shiny” should be the new “cool”. Who’s with me?! > > _crickets_ ::raises hand:: I heard “shiny” in a non-Firefly context on TV a few days ago, but I’m damned if I can remember the show. Where would **hunky dory** fit? 40’s? ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/18 "2005-11-08T22:33:42Z")
Don’t forget: -Slamin’ -Kickin’ -Bad-ass ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/19 "2005-11-08T22:46:42Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Where would **hunky dory** fit? 40’s? I always thought of “hunky dory” as meaning “ok” or “fine,” not “cool.” “How are things going?” “Everything’s hunky dory.” I can’t imagine anyone saying “Did you see that car? It’s hunky dory!” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2005, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101/20 "2005-11-08T22:58:05Z")
The advent of hip hop brought us “dope,” “fly,” “fresh,” “stupid,” “stupid fresh,” “the shit,” “the bomb,” (actually a Parliamentism from the '70s,) “the shizzle,” etc. I’m sure I’m missing 700 or 800 of them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-slang-for-cool/330101.md?page=2)