Browse the 416tionary

Unfortunate, disappointing, or annoying. The opposite of what it sounds like.

Dead or finished. Used dramatically or jokingly.

A 375ml bottle of liquor. Standard party purchase.

'You already know' or 'obviously'. Used to affirm something without needing to say more.

Impressive, cool, excellent. Popularized in Toronto rap.

'Be quiet' or 'shut up'. Short for 'silence it'.

Blend of 'Scarborough' and 'Harlem'. Used with pride to describe rougher parts of Scarborough.

Older Canadian term for a sofa or couch. Mostly your grandma says it.

A nickname for Drake, referencing his self-appointed status as Toronto's representative.

Emphatic version of 'still', slapped at the end of a sentence for finality or emphasis.

Nickname for the city of Oshawa.

The Canadian one-dollar coin, named for the loon on its face.

Someone overly eager or enthusiastic — usually about school or work.

A young person acting foolishly or without direction. More dismissive than 'wasteman'.

A slang term for a woman. Can be flirtatious or dismissive depending on tone — often the latter.

Something great or excellent. Classic Canadian, especially at the rink.

Trash-talking or teasing someone, usually playfully. Big in Canadian sports culture.

A derogatory term for a promiscuous woman. Heavy word — used insultingly.

A group of guys or one's crew.

One hundred — money, percent effort, or a general amount.

A kilometre. Used casually for distance.

The neighbourhood at Jane St. and Finch Ave. in North York. Shorthand for a tight-knit, historically stigmatized community.

Your closest friend — a warmer, more Toronto-specific evolution of "bro" or "cro". Used as a term of address between men who are genuinely tight.

Slang for a police officer, referencing the bulk of their vest. Used cautiously in street contexts.

A mildly derogatory term for an unsophisticated Canadian. Almost always used jokingly.

A knit winter hat. Essential gear from November to April.

The suburban area code surrounding Toronto — Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan. Used to distinguish suburbanites from downtown 416ers.

Someone lazy, useless, or generally a disappointment.

"Are you serious?" — an expression of disbelief that asks the speaker to swear it's true.

Sneakers or running shoes.

Areas further north in the GTA — North York, Vaughan, Brampton — relative to downtown.

A general term for a thing, situation, or sometimes a romantic interest.

Nickname for Toronto, popularized by Drake. References the 416/647 area codes and the six municipalities that merged into the city in 1998.

Short for 'give 'er' — go all out, try hard.

Affectionate nickname for Tim Hortons.

Your neighbourhood — the specific area you're from and rep.

The TTC's Yonge-University subway line — the yellow one that loops from Finch to Vaughan through downtown.

Certified, guaranteed, the real thing. Confirms something or someone is legit.

A young guy. Neutral on its own, insulting when paired with "waste".

The quintessentially Canadian verbal tag used to seek agreement or turn a statement into a question.

Overly hyped, full of yourself, or getting carried away with excitement.

Used to refer to oneself or another person, similar to 'I', 'this guy', or 'they'. Ubiquitous in Toronto youth speech.

Nickname for Mississauga.

Brother — a term of address between friends, from the Arabic "akhi". Widely used across the GTA regardless of background.

Soda. Soft drinks. Don't ask for a 'soda' at a corner store or they'll clock you as a tourist.

Arabic for 'I swear to God'. Used across the GTA regardless of background to add weight to a claim.

To disrespect, insult or embarrass someone. Also used as a noun for the act itself.

The Canadian two-dollar coin.

A rundown, barely-running car. Also used for anything visibly beaten up.

"What's wrong with you?" or "what's good?" depending on tone — from Jamaican Patois "wah gwaan/wam".

Ride-or-die loyal; down for whatever, all the way. Also written "ten down".

Dirty — literally, or as praise for something impressively hard.

A tag meaning 'right?' or 'isn't it', used to seek agreement. Rooted in Somali and East African communities in Toronto.

'What's going on'. Used as a greeting or to ask what's happening.

Fries topped with cheese curds and gravy. Québécois in origin, Canadian by adoption.

Things, matters, or business — often the situation you're dealing with. Also refers to romantic prospects.

A case of 24 beers. Also refers to the May long weekend (Victoria Day).

A Jamaican person or someone tied to Jamaican culture. Used both descriptively and as slang.

The Canadian word for a public bathroom or restroom.

To eat, usually hungrily. Borrowed from Jamaican Patois and used casually across the 6ix.

A car, especially a nice one.

Enemies or rivals, usually in a street context.

A close friend or member of your crew. Broader than 'family'.

Someone acting wild, reckless, hyped up, or out of pocket. Often crackhead-adjacent energy.

To arrive, pull up, or show up to a place.

Peel Region — Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon.

A Tim Hortons coffee with two creams and two sugars. National standard order.

Close male friend. Variant pronunciation of 'brother'.

A group of girls or women. Plural of 'gyal'.

An idiot; someone acting foolishly. Considered rude — it derives from "special ed".

Term of endearment for a close friend. Short for 'my guy'.

The Danforth (Danforth Avenue), or your local main strip depending on neighbourhood.

Nickname for the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission), from its 'Ride the Rocket' campaign.