basic

Basic means unoriginal, with completely mainstream tastes. Calling someone basic says they like exactly what everyone else likes, and nothing that would surprise you.

What it means

Merriam-Webster labels this sense slang and disparaging, and defines it as lacking originality and having mainstream interests. The stereotype that grew up around it is very specific: pumpkin spice lattes in October, UGG boots, brunch selfies and a “Live Laugh Love” sign in the kitchen.

It’s usually an insult, though plenty of people embrace it with a shrug: “I’m basic and I love it.” The male version is sometimes called a basic bro.

Examples

• “She ordered a pumpkin spice latte and took a picture of the leaves. So basic.”
• “I know it’s basic, but I genuinely love this song.”
• “His whole personality is gym, protein shakes and podcasts. Basic.”

Where it came from

Merriam-Webster says this sense came from African American English, in a longer phrase that includes a swear word, and then broadened. Dictionary.com, citing Green’s Dictionary of Slang, dates “basic” meaning unexceptional back to the 1970s. Comedian Lil Duval’s 2009 video and Kreayshawn’s 2011 song “Gucci Gucci” helped spread it, and a CollegeHumor parody in 2014 showed how mainstream it had become.

Is it sexist?

Critics say yes, at least often. Dictionary.com notes it’s most often aimed at young women, and Wikipedia’s article summarizes criticism of it as sexist and classist: it mocks women for liking popular things in a way men rarely get mocked for. It’s worth knowing that before you throw it around.

Related terms

• mid: average, nothing special
• NPC: someone who seems to run on autopilot
• VSCO girl: a 2019 stereotype with scrunchies and Hydro Flasks
• pick-me: someone desperate to seem “not like other girls”
• chopped: ugly

See more terms like this in our Gen Z slang dictionary.