Social Media Slang: Emoji and Acronym Meanings Teens are Using

Understanding the definitions of slang, abbreviations, and emojis mean on social media.

Keeping kids safe online, while respecting their autonomy is a difficult task. Part of this difficulty comes from how quickly social media slang tends to evolve. A single emoji can have wildly different meaning depending on who is using it, where they’re using it and other context clues.

This guide is designed to help parents, educators, HR and safety teams decode what they are seeing without jumping to conclusions. You will find plain definitions, quick examples, and notes that flag when a term can signal bullying, sexual content, self-harm, or illegal activity.

The glossary below is grouped by emoji, acronym, and phrase, and alphabetised within each group. Each entry is flagged with a safety rating so you can tell at a glance whether a term is harmless, mature, or profane.

This glossary will be updated regularly as new slang emerges. If you notice a term we missed or a meaning that has shifted, post your additions to our forum as a new topic including the term, meaning, and any suitable tags & we will implement it!

Internet Slang Glossary