English Reference
Noun

lingo

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈɫɪŋɡoʊ/ UK /lˈɪŋɡəʊ/ lin·go UK spelling lingoes

n.the special words or phrases used by a specific group of people. You use this when talking about technical language or slang that is hard for outsiders to understand.

n.the vocabulary or jargon associated with a particular subject, occupation, or social group. Often carries a slightly dismissive or informal tone when used by those outside the group.


SIMPLE

I don't understand the legal lingo in this contract.

CONTEXTUAL

After a week on the trading floor, she finally started to pick up the financial lingo used by her colleagues.

COMPLEX

While the software developers spoke a technical lingo that baffled the marketing team, both groups eventually found common ground through shared project goals.

Usage

Usually uncountable when referring to the general style of speech; countable when referring to a specific variety.


From Latin lingua (“language”) + -o (diminutive suffix).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin lingua
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated