In the 1990s, it was laughable to imagine the World Wide Web impacting language and culture. After all, the internet was still in its dial-up era, and Mark Zuckerberg hadn’t yet dreamed up a social media empire from his dorm room.
Of course, it seems obvious now that the development of high-speed internet and social media would deeply affect our vernacular. Whereas dialects and slang were once confined to the physical, they can now spread at lightning speed in digital spaces. All these changes led to the creation of a broader “internet culture” so ubiquitous that it has its own dictionary.
In honor of Dictionary.com’s 30th birthday, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite words that have evolved over decades to fit the current zeitgeist.
viral
adjective: (’90s & before) related to an illness caused by a virus 鈫� (today) online content that becomes popular by circulating quickly among users
Though some trends might occasionally make people feel sick (ahem, like that “Dinosaur Time” TikTok trend where people stuff their mouths with leafy greens), going viral means something very different these days. The term’s evolution comes from how fast information circulates online 鈥� not unlike an infectious disease.
Modern usage:
LinkedIn isn’t about going viral overnight. It’s about showing up consistently, sharing real value, and building relationships over time. Every post, comment, and message is a seed. Keep planting, keep showing up, and watch your network grow into something powerful.
– @steventopieniak, LinkedIn, May 1, 2025
salty
adjective: (’90s & before) containing or tasting like salt 鈫� (today) angry, bitter, or resentful
The non-culinary usage of salty began as a term in the early 20th century to describe the tough characteristic of sailors, which often resulted in profanity, i.e., salty language. By the 1970s the term had been adapted in African American Vernacular English (AAVE), building on the earlier definition to describe someone feeling bitter or resentful, argh! By the early 2000s (and thanks to the online community of gamers and influencers) this delightful usage of the word hit the high skies and never came back down. Hopefully you’re not salty about this.
Modern usage:
Being happy for someone else’s success makes you happier. Go try it and stop being salty.
– @ZarnainAhmed12, X, April 21, 2025
catfish
noun: (’90s & before) a bottom-dwelling fish with whiskers 鈫� (today) also a verb meaning “to deceive or swindle by assuming a false identity or personality online”
Before online dating took off, we all knew a catfish simply as an aquatic creature. But a 2010 documentary called Catfish helped the word evolve to its modern slang usage, warning us all to stay vigilant in this silly game called love. The film’s title is based on a metaphor toward the end that compares deceptive people to catfish. The catfishing victim describes how fishermen once put catfish in tanks with cods to keep them active during long journeys. Likewise, he compared it to people who catfish and “keep you on your toes.” The comparison caught on, prompting people to use it as a noun and a verb 鈥� particularly in reference to tricksters in the online dating world.
Modern usage:
Ouch, this was painful to watch. Seems like he led her on but also looks like she catfished him.
– @thatladythere, X, April 19, 2025
ghost
noun: (’90s & before) the spirit or soul of a dead person 鈫� (today) also a verb meaning “to disappear from communication,” especially in reference to dating
People have been getting dumped since the beginning of time, but modern ghosting takes rejection to a whole new level. With social media, dating apps, and smartphones, there are endless ways for someone to disappear from your life without a trace, i.e., ghost you. It’s very mysterious, much like the original ghost.
Modern usage:
me looking at her one last time before ghosting her outta nowhere and ruining her perception of love
– @Hoodville_, X, April 18, 2025
lit
adjective: (’90s & before) bright, full of light 鈫� (today) also an adjective meaning “intoxicated” or a term of approval meaning “amazing, cool”
It’s hard to believe, but even as far back as 1910, people called themselves lit after one too many bourbon shots. The modern slang word lit has evolved multiple times from its past tense of light. In later years, hip-hop artists began describing exciting events as lit 鈥� in other words, amazing or cool. Now you’ll see the word all over social media to describe having a great time, with or without booze.
Modern usage:
My vibe incredible even by myself I’m still lit
– @Frankie_FT3, X, April 17, 2025
woke
verb: (’90s & before) past tense of wake 鈫� (today) also an adjective meaning “to be aware of racial and social injustices”
The use of woke to mean “aware” or “vigilant” originated in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) as early as the 1930s. The term also appeared in a 1962 New York Times essay discussing Black language. In the 2010s, woke gained broader visibility as an awareness of racial injustice. The hashtag #staywoke became especially prominent during the 2014 protests following the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
Modern usage:
鈥�‘Woke’聽is a decades old slang term for ‘to be awoke’ to situations amongst African Americans dating back to the 1930s but popularized in the 1960s.
– @IamKingWilliams, X, March 16, 2023
cookie
noun: (’90s & before) a sweet baked treat 鈫� (today) a file or segment of data that identifies a unique user over time and across interactions with a website
Cookies were initially developed in 1994 to help sites remember user information. They serve as cached tracking files that enable users to avoid re-entering personal information at frequently visited sites. Many believe the name was inspired by an earlier programming concept in the Unix operating system called a “magic cookie,” which was a small piece of data (er, crumbs of data?) passed between programs to identify users.
Modern usage:
Third-party cookies are disappearing!
No more easy tracking, personalized ads, or retargeting.
But don鈥檛 worry, marketers can adapt with first-party data, contextual ads & privacy-friendly solutions. Ready for the shift?
– @socialchampsmedia, Instagram, March 27, 2025
hallucination
noun: (’90s & before) a false notion, belief, or impression; delusion 鈫� (today) false information generated by a machine learning program, such as AI, presented as if it were true
The rise of artificial intelligence has led to a new meaning of hallucination, but both the present and past senses are connected to the idea of things that aren’t real. Tech experts first started using the terms hallucinate (our 2023 51吃瓜 of the Year) and hallucination in the ’90s to describe situations where a theoretical AI system’s output would make something up. But it wasn’t until the AI boom brought us advanced chatbots that the word took on this modern definition.
Modern usage:
鈥� AI hallucination is like trusting a financial advisor who confidently tells you to invest in a non-existent stock. It sounds convincing but leads to costly mistakes.
– @samant_amar, X, March 29, 2025
stream
noun: (’90s & before) a flowing body of water, or a verb meaning “to run or flow” 鈫� (today) a verb in digital technology meaning “to send or play video, music, or other data over the internet in a steady flow without having to download it”
In the 1990s, tech experts began experimenting with streaming as an alternative to fully downloading audio and video before playing them. Eventually, the rise of high-speed internet in the early 2000s made streaming more practical. Today, we often associate the term with TV and movie streaming services, which give us the gift of watching our favorite shows and films wherever and whenever we want. (Kids today don’t know what it’s like to wait until Saturday morning for their favorite cartoons!)
Modern usage:
I think Netflix should have a live tv section where they stream movies and shows all day
– @femifoye, X, April 24, 2025
troll
noun: (’90s & before) a supernatural being 鈫� (today) an online user who stirs conflict to upset or provoke others
In Scandinavian folklore, a troll is a devious creature often known for threatening or blocking travelers. Likewise, modern-day internet trolls create conflicts and annoyances, all while hiding behind a screen instead of under a bridge. In other (verbal) words, they’re trolling 鈥� whether it’s posting controversial comments or spreading fake information. Interestingly, the first online/verbal usage of troll was found in 1992, but it took more than a decade to gain widespread use. When you hear the word these days, you’re more likely to think of a human being messing with you, not a supernatural one.
Modern usage:
I’m not insulting you here, but I genuinely can’t tell if you’re a real doctor or a troll account. Those who can’t debate ideas have to debate credentials. If he’s wrong show me proof鈥�
– @doranka, X, April 25, 2025
Check out this quiz to test yourself on new twists to old words.聽
