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New Jersey Slang Terms

AC: In many other states, AC means air conditioning. In NJ, though, it means Atlantic City.

All Good: Something you say to excuse something else or accept an apology. It basically means, "it's okay."

Benny: A generalized term referring to people that descend from New York or northern New Jersey to spend time on the shore, usually in an obnoxious form of tourism. This is an insulting phrase. The individual letters in it stand for Bayonne, Elizabeth, Newark, and New York.

Bozo: A uniquely New Jersey insult that's kind of like calling someone a fool or an idiot.

Central Jersey: A contentious term referring to the middle of New Jersey. People from outside Central Jersey will say it doesn't exist, but those who live there will insist they're from Central Jersey.

Disco Fries: Consider this the New Jersey take on poutine. Disco fries are French fries smothered in cheese and gravy.

Down the Shore: Although New Jersey is known for its beautiful beaches, locals don't call taking a trip there "going to the beach." Instead, you say you're going down the shore.

Exit: Calling this a slang term might be generous, but people in New Jersey will always tell you how to get to their house by explaining which exit you need to take to get there.

Fat Sandwich: Have you ever heard the phrase, "everything but the kitchen sink" in reference to a food? That's essentially what a fat sandwich is: a sandwich that includes pretty much everything on the menu. It's popular in New Brunswick.

Get Gas: Other states may refer to filling their car up as pumping gas. In Jersey, though, you say you're going to get gas instead.

Going By: In any other state, you'd likely say you're going to another location when you're traveling. Many people in New Jersey will say they are going by some destination in their own unique turn of phrase.

Hit the MAC: Running out of cash? Then it sounds like you need to hit the MAC, also known as going to the ATM.

Hoagie: In South Jersey, you may hear people calling sub sandwiches hoagies. 

How You Doin'?: A common greeting you may hear throughout Jersey. You don't even necessarily need to respond when you hear it; in some cases, it's like the polite smile you may get if you make eye contact with a stranger you're walking past.

J'eet Yet?: If you're visiting someone and they want to know if you're hungry they'll ask, "j'eet yet?" It's an accented way of saying, "did you eat yet?" It's also much faster.

Jersey: Most people in NJ don't refer to their home state by the whole name. Instead, it is affectionately shortened to Jersey.

Jersey Devil: If you're into horror or cryptozoological creatures, you've probably heard of the infamous a mythical monster that allegedly lives in the Pine Barrens in Jersey.

Jersey Slide: A dangerous maneuver you can make while driving by swerving your car all the way from the left lane to the exit ramp on the right.

Jug Handle: A type of turn on the road. Jug handles make it possible for you to go left from a highway exit by turning right onto a ramp that curves into an intersecting road.

Mischief Night/Cabbage Night: The night before Halloween, in which people often make mischief by doing things like egging houses or TP'ing trees.

Mutz: Fresh mozzarella cheese.

Newark: The meaning of this one can vary based on which part of the state you're from. Some use it to refer specifically to an airport of the same name, others mean the city in NJ. It's also important to note that it's not pronounced the way it looks; locals often combine the syllables, so it sounds more like "Nork" than "New-ark."

Penn: This is another one that might vary based on where you're located. In the north part of the state, Penn refers to a specific train station. In the south part, it refers to a university.

Piney: A somewhat rude term for the people who reside in the Pine Barrens.

Plain Pie: In Jersey, if you want a cheese pizza, you might want to ask for a plain pie.

Pork Roll: A popular sandwich in Jersey made with Taylor brand ham.

Ripper: If you live in North Jersey, you're probably familiar with the ripper, which is a deep-fried hotdog. It gets its name from the fact the casing rips during frying.

Shoobie: This is the South Jersey equivalent of Benny. It's for people who travel to the shore to visit and are generally annoying tourists.

SPK: Salt, pepper, and ketchup – typical additions to a sandwich. Usually said so it sounds like one word, which is written as SPK.

Sub: In Central or North Jersey, a hoagie is often called a sub instead.

Tats: Slang word for tattoos.

Taylor Ham: A specific brand of ham that's often found on the shelves of NJ grocery stores.

The Boss: In other regions of the United States, saying "the boss" might conjure up various mental pictures of different people. In NJ, though, the phrase pretty much always means Bruce Springsteen.

The City: It depends on the person, but in Jersey, saying "The City" usually means either Philadelphia or NYC.

Tomato Pie: Popular in Trenton, NJ, a tomato pie is like a pizza that's more about the sauce than the cheese.

Turnpike: When someone in Jersey says turnpike, they're referring to a system of highways that crisscross the state.

Twentyregularcash: It's important to note here that in NJ, people don't pump their own gas. When they pull up to the pump, if they want to put $20 worth of gas in their tank, it's common to say "twentyregularcash," all in one word.

Water Ice: This slang is more specific to South Jersey and Philadelphia, but it's essentially a nickname for Italian shaved ice. This is a frozen snack made from shaved ice, sugar, and a flavoring syrup.

WaWa: A convenience store chain in Jersey. You can get both gas and groceries there!

You Guys: The Jersey equivalent of the south's "ya'll." This is how you address a group of people.

Youse/Youze:  See You Guys.