50 classic slang terms only people over 25 years old will understand

  Slang is a vital part of language. The words and phrases attributed to a specific region or time play out in various dialects and accents specific to different areas in the same country. These tweaks to an otherwise common language define subcultures and represent highly specific moments in time—just look at "bootlegger," which originated during Prohibition. And like any other language on the planet, English has evolved over the years to change with the times. Every year, new words are added to the dictionary to reflect changes in our culture—from "rizz" and "simp" to "zhuzh" and "bussin'" (yes, apostrophe included), all of which  joined Merriam-Webster  in late 2023. Our language will continue to evolve indefinitely, incorporating subtle changes into our everyday conversations and changing how we perceive popular words from the past. Many times, an informal word or phrase becomes popular for so long that its origin is lost, but t...