lingo

noun

lin·​go ˈliŋ-(ˌ)gō 

plural lingos or lingoes

: strange or incomprehensible language or speech: such as

a

: a foreign language

It can be hard to travel in a foreign country if you don't speak the lingo.

b

: the special vocabulary of a particular field of interest

The book has a lot of computer lingo.

c

: language characteristic of an individual

He has his own lingo … and at the top of each shift, he delivers a monologue that sets the table for his show.

—Tim Sullivan

Synonyms of lingo

• vocabulary
• language
• tongue
• dialect
• idiom

Examples of lingo in a Sentence

It can be hard to travel in a foreign country if you don't speak the lingo.

The book has a lot of computer lingo that I don't understand.

Recent Examples on the Web

His peculiar online lingo, derived from the looks-maxxing community, has seeped into the culture. —Will Gottsegen, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026

Though fluent in academic lingo, his verse was approachable, written with students and the public in mind and indicative of someone who always made sure to not stay stuck in the proverbial ivory tower. —Dorany Pineda, Los Angeles Times, 24 Mar. 2026

Veteran crew members taught the participants how to decipher call sheets, use walkie-talkie lingo and survive 12-hour days on their feet. —ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026

Different industries use various code words, shorthand, and lingo to communicate. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably from Lingua Franca, language, tongue, from Occitan, from Latin lingua — more at tongue

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lingo

• bingo
• dingo
• gringo
• flamingo

Kids Definition

lingo

noun

lin·​go ˈliŋ-gō 

plural lingoes

: language that is strange or hard to understand