plural lingos or lingoes
: strange or incomprehensible language or speech: such as
a
: a foreign language
It can be hard to travel in a foreign country if you don't speak the lingo.
b
: the special vocabulary of a particular field of interest
The book has a lot of computer lingo.
c
: language characteristic of an individual
He has his own lingo … and at the top of each shift, he delivers a monologue that sets the table for his show. Tim Sullivan

Examples of lingo in a Sentence

It can be hard to travel in a foreign country if you don't speak the lingo. The book has a lot of computer lingo that I don't understand.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Good luck at learning 2025's lingo Gen Alpha parents! Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 29 Dec. 2024 Learn the coffee lingo In Singapore, a ‘coffee shop’ doesn’t mean a hipster java joint or a cannabis cafe. Audrey Phoon, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Dec. 2024 For those who aren’t steeped in your company lore and lingo, storytelling can help clarify complex concepts—and allow leaders to reach new audiences. Samantha Reynolds, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024 Perry tends to blend raver lingo and therapy-speak—the trick Madonna pulled on Ray of Light nearly three decades ago—with all the gusto of a phone operator. Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 25 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lingo 

Word History

Etymology

probably from Lingua Franca, language, tongue, from Occitan, from Latin lingua — more at tongue

First Known Use

1659, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lingo was in 1659

Dictionary Entries Near lingo

Cite this Entry

“Lingo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lingo. Accessed 3 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

plural lingoes
: language that is strange or hard to understand

More from Merriam-Webster on lingo

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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