val

n. a short name for a man named Valentine or a woman named Valerie.

n. a hypocoristic form of given names such as Valerie, Valentine, or Valerius.

“My friend Valerie usually goes by Val when she introduces herself.”

“Although his legal name was Valentine, he preferred to be addressed as Val in all but the most formal professional settings.”

Informal

n. a slang name for Valium, a medicine used to help people feel calm or sleep.

n. an informal clipping of Valium, a benzodiazepine medication used to treat anxiety and muscle spasms.

“He was so nervous about the flight that he took a val to relax.”

“The patient admitted to occasional recreational use of vals, which complicated the anaesthesiologist's plan for the upcoming procedure.”

Informal · Slang

n. a slang term for a 'Valley girl' — a stereotype of a wealthy, young woman from California.

n. a clipping of 'Valley girl', referring to a socio-economic stereotype of young women from the San Fernando Valley.

“She used a lot of slang and sounded like a total val.”

“The film's protagonist was a parody of the stereotypical val, complete with the distinctive accent and obsession with shopping malls.”

American English · Slang · Informal