Do you know what these words mean? Gyatt, skibidi, sigma, pookie and more (2025)

You might have only just learned what Gen Zers means when they say "rizz" or "slay", but Generation Alpha is fast adding to the lexicon of slang with some baffling terms of its own.

The cool kids are dropping words such as "gyatt," "skibidi," and "pookie," into the conversation, and they're the most popular slang sayings for 2025.

But what do they actually mean? Newsweek has delved deep into the Urban Dictionary to decode Gen Alpha (those born between 2010 and 2024).

Gyatt

This is one of the nicest things Gen Alpha can say to you. It can also be spelled "gyat," and, just to make sure you get it right, the pronunciation is [gee-yot]. According to Dictionary.com, "gyatt" is a term that's used to express strong excitement, surprise, or admiration.

It also has other meanings however, as Urban Dictionary suggests that it's a shortened term for "goddamn," often used in the context of a curvaceous woman walking by, so not that modern, then!

Author David Burke, who analyzed popular American slang, claimed in a TikTok video (@slangmandavidburke) that "gyatt" was the number one word teens are using nowadays.

Pookie

This is a term of endearment that's used for a close friend or a loved one. Caitlin Begg, sociological researcher and the founder of Authentic Social tells Newsweek that "pookie" in particular has "gained popularity through TikTok."

While the word itself isn't new, Gen Alpha appears to have latched onto it, as the website Bark, which monitors slang trends, suggests it's now used to describe a best friend, significant other, or just something they find adorable.

Urban Dictionary cites the word as far back as 2005, but Vanessa Croft, who teaches Language and Humanities at Omololu International School, says it's been in circulation since the 1900s. She explained to Newsweek that it once meant a child, but it has evolved on TikTok to mean "anything that can be classified as cutesy."

Mewing

Bark explains that when someone says they're "mewing," they're trying to make their jaw look defined by putting their tongue to the roof of their mouth.

So, don't ask a teen to talk to you when they're trying to get the perfect photo. They're probably mewing.

Skibidi

"Skibidi" is a conversation starter, but only for chats filled with brain rot (more on that later). Urban Dictionary suggests it's a word used by gamers when they want to be funny.

In a viral TikTok video, @etymologynerd said it doesn't have a set definition and can be used as an adjective anywhere.

Having heard many of her Gen Alpha students use "skibidi," Croft was fascinated to learn what it meant. Although, she jokes that it's very easy to fall down a linguistic rabbit hole trying to figure it out.

"I mostly find it used to mean things ranging from weird, silly to crazy by my students," Croft told Newsweek. "Of sure validity is the fact that 'skibidi' is an adjective that can be used to represent anything the speaker wishes to emphasize."

In short, try saying it to your Gen Alpha kids to get their attention and spark a conversation.

Brain Rot

"Brain rot" is the result of being chronically online and consuming plenty of low-value internet content, according to Dictionary.com. It can be used as a verb or a noun, alluding to endless scrolling of the internet or social media because of an intense obsession with a particular topic.

It's thought that it first appeared around 2007 among fandom circles who were fixated on specific shows or characters. It has now gained popularity on platforms including X (formerly Tiwtter) and TikTok.

In 2024, it was chosen as the Oxford Word of the Year.

"The term is used to refer to spending an inordinate amount of time online consuming mindless content," Begg said.

Wyll

Wyll is an acronym popularized by Gen Alpha for the phrase '"what you look like," typically used in texting and on social media.

You're most likely to see it used on Snapchat, according to Dictionary.com, as they suggest it can be used in the following context: "You seem cool. Wyll? Send a pic."

Sigma

Think of "sigma" as being somewhat synonymous with the word "alpha." If someone is "sigma," they are likely viewed as a popular, successful and self-sufficient person.

The word is usually used to describe males, as Urban Dictionary suggests that it's a step above being an alpha male. Indeed, Begg says that it refers to something being the best, adding that it began trending after a meme about SpongeBob—who else?

"Slang terms often gain in popularity from viral videos describing novel and culturally relevant phenomena. The terms can also increase in popularity through continued use in other forms of media, such as podcasts," Begg told Newsweek.

However, before you get too confident trying to use "sigma," Croft has heard her students using it in entirely different contexts. She highlighted that Gen Alpha sometimes uses it in the phrase "what the sigma?" in the same way a Baby Boomer would say "what the heck?"

Croft says every age group coins its own niche terminology. Yet, what makes Gen Alpha slang so interesting and far-reaching is the use of social media.

Croft told Newsweek: "This allows the vocabulary to solidify not only in its use, but also its definitions in widespread cultures. Whereas in the past, someone would need to get on a plane and visit another country to infiltrate it with their slang, now TikTok is the airway."