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

• 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

Two of his friends, a Republican and a Democrat, are regular guests, and his 16-year-old son helps Dad navigate some youthful lingo. —David Bauder, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2025

Educational twists are included, as Joe and the athletes explain sports terminology and lingo. —R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025

Hot sleeper this, hot sleeper that: the real hell of sleeping—including neck pain, spine sensitivity, and a cursed sleeping position—is often overlooked by temperature-regulating lingo. —Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 20 Aug. 2025

Here’s a rundown on the new lingo, complete with examples a millennial can parse. —Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2025

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