Lingo — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˈliŋ-(ˌ)gō/ lin·go

Meaning & Definition of Lingo

Lingo (noun)

  1. strange or incomprehensible language or speech
  2. a foreign language
  3. the special vocabulary of a particular field of interest

Lingo (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication

    "medical missionaries struggling to learn the lingo of the African tribe that they were treating"

    similar: language, mother tongue, speech, tongue, vocabulary
    related: acrolect, argot, cant, colloquial, dialect, idiolect, idiom, jargon, parlance, patois, patter, pidgin, slang, slanguage, vernacular, colloquialism, localism, provincialism, regionalism, shibboleth, vernacularism, terminology, coinage, modernism, neologism

  2. the special terms or expressions of a particular group or field

    "the shorthand medical lingo that the hospital staffers use with one another"

    similar: argot, cant, dialect, jargon, jive, language, patois, patter, shop, shoptalk, slang, terminology, vocabulary
    related: colloquial, colloquialism, idiom, localism, parlance, pidgin, provincialism, regionalism, speech, vernacular, vernacularism, slanguage, bureaucratese, computerese, cyberspeak, educationese, governmentese, journalese, technobabble

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Lingo

The most common words with a similar meaning to Lingo:

language, mother tongue, speech, tongue, vocabulary, argot, cant, dialect, jargon, jive, patois, patter, shop, shoptalk, slang, terminology

Related Words for Lingo

acrolect, colloquial, idiolect, idiom, parlance, pidgin, slanguage, vernacular, colloquialism, localism, provincialism, regionalism, shibboleth, vernacularism, coinage, modernism, neologism, bureaucratese, computerese, cyberspeak, educationese, governmentese, journalese, technobabble

Word Forms of Lingo

Inflections: lingos, lingoes

Origin & Etymology of Lingo

probably from Lingua Franca, language, tongue, from Occitan, from Latin lingua tongue

First known use: 1659

Frequently Asked Questions about Lingo

What does "Lingo" mean?

"Lingo" means strange or incomprehensible language or speech. As a noun, it is defined as: strange or incomprehensible language or speech. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Lingo"?

Other words for "Lingo" include language, mother tongue, speech, tongue, vocabulary, argot, cant and dialect. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Lingo" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Lingo"?

There are 40 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Lingo". Common alternatives include language, mother tongue, speech, tongue, vocabulary, argot, cant, dialect, jargon and jive.

How do you use "Lingo" in a sentence?

Examples of "Lingo" in a sentence: "medical missionaries struggling to learn the lingo of the African tribe that they were treating"; "the shorthand medical lingo that the hospital staffers use with one another".

Is "Lingo" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Lingo" is a noun.

How do you pronounce "Lingo"?

"Lingo" is pronounced /ˈliŋ-(ˌ)gō/ and divided into syllables as lin·go.

What is the origin of the word "Lingo"?

"Lingo" comes from probably from Lingua Franca, language, tongue, from Occitan, from Latin lingua tongue. First known use: 1659.

What is another word for "Lingo" meaning "the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication"?

When "Lingo" (noun) means the stock of words, pronunciation, and grammar used by a people as their basic means of communication, synonyms include language, mother tongue, speech, tongue and vocabulary.