lingo

noun

lin·​go ˈliŋ-(ˌ)gō How to pronounce lingo (audio)
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

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 This milestone, known as ATP, is a decision point in contracting lingo where the customer—in this case, NASA—places a firm order for a deliverable. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 5 Sep. 2024 In religious scholar lingo, Stace is what is known as a perennialist, meaning someone who thinks all religions are describing the same thing. Cassady Rosenblum, Rolling Stone, 18 Aug. 2024 Paris Hilton's son is picking up on his mom's lingo! Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 28 July 2024 He’s got to talk about war-specific terms and communist lingo. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for lingo 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lingo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lingo was in 1659

Dictionary Entries Near lingo

Cite this Entry

“Lingo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lingo. Accessed 10 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

lingo

noun
lin·​go ˈliŋ-gō How to pronounce lingo (audio)
plural lingoes
: language that is strange or hard to understand

More from Merriam-Webster on lingo

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