Local word#
wicked
Very; an intensifier before another word.
“That line for the ferry is wicked long.”
New England usage, not exclusive to Boston.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Fun Boston / How we talk
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wicked
Very; an intensifier before another word.
“That line for the ferry is wicked long.”
See this entry and its source →The word guide
68 words and ways to say them.
“Accent sounds” are playful written hints at pronunciation. “Local words” have their own meanings. “Around town” collects shortcuts for places. Some entries are old-fashioned or used beyond Boston; every card says when that matters.
68 entries.
Local word#
bubbler
A drinking fountain.
“Is there a bubbler near the playground?”
Also heard elsewhere in New England and in parts of the Midwest.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
bang a U-ey
Make a U-turn.
“We missed the street; bang a U-ey at the next light.”
A regional expression; always follow the actual traffic signs.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
frappe
An ice-cream milkshake in traditional New England usage.
“Let's get a chocolate frappe after the walk.”
Menus and family usage vary; in Rhode Island you may hear cabinet.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
rotary
A circular road intersection.
“Take the second exit at the rotary.”
A rotary and a modern roundabout are not always identical road designs.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
spuckie
A sub sandwich, especially an older Boston term.
“My uncle still calls an Italian sub a spuckie.”
Often spelled spukie too; many younger locals have never heard it.
Source: Boston.com · The older Boston word spuckie ↗Local word#
jimmies
Sprinkles on ice cream, often chocolate ones.
“Jimmies on the cone, please.”
Usage differs by family; the word's origin is disputed.
Source: Boston.com · Why some call sprinkles jimmies ↗Local word#
tonic
An older local word for soda.
“My grandfather asked for a bottle of tonic.”
Less common today; many people now just say soda.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
carriage
A grocery or shopping cart.
“Grab a carriage before we go in.”
Common in New England; not a horse-drawn vehicle in this context.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
clicker
A TV remote control.
“Who has the clicker?”
A familiar older term; not unique to Boston.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
elastics
Rubber bands.
“The takeout menus are held together with elastics.”
New England usage; elsewhere elastic may mean a hair tie.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
down cellar
Down in the basement.
“The folding chairs are down cellar.”
An older New England phrasing.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
packie
A liquor store; short for package store.
“They stopped at the packie on the way home.”
Local context matters: this sounds like an offensive slur in British English. Avoid using it as a label for people.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
pissah
Excellent or impressive, often said with a wink.
“That comeback was wicked pissah.”
Mildly coarse and often used jokingly; locals disagree about how common it really is.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
johnny
A hospital gown.
“They gave me a johnny before the exam.”
Used in parts of New England, especially Boston; context makes the meaning clear.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
grinder
A long filled sandwich, much like a sub.
“A hot meatball grinder sounds good.”
New England usage extends beyond Boston.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
tag sale
A yard sale or garage sale.
“There's a tag sale around the corner.”
Common in southern New England.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
pocketbook
A purse or handbag.
“I left my pocketbook in the car.”
Older regional usage; not uniquely Boston.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
parlor
A living room in an older local usage.
“Everybody's waiting in the parlor.”
Also used in many other English-speaking places.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
regular coffee
Locally, often coffee with cream and sugar.
“A small regular coffee, please.”
The exact amount of cream and sugar varies by shop; ask if it matters.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
all set
Done, okay, or needing nothing else.
“No bag, thanks. I'm all set.”
Used much more widely than Boston; recognizable here but not an exclusive local word.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
space saver
An object left in a shoveled parking spot after snow.
“That chair is somebody's space saver.”
Parking rules change by place and season; the phrase is not permission to leave one.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
storrowed
A too-tall vehicle stuck under a low bridge on Storrow Drive or a similar parkway.
“The moving truck got storrowed.”
The joke refers to real crashes and closures; check vehicle height before driving.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
Allston Christmas
The curbside furniture frenzy around September 1 move-in day.
“Someone found a desk during Allston Christmas.”
A nickname for the annual moving period, not an official holiday.
Source: WBUR · Allston neighborhood guide ↗Local word#
triple-decker
A three-story house, often with one home on each floor.
“Her family lives on the top floor of a triple-decker.”
A building type familiar across Greater Boston and other New England cities.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
the T
The MBTA transit system.
“We'll take the T to the museum.”
The agency runs more than just subway trains.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
the Pike
The Massachusetts Turnpike, Interstate 90.
“Traffic on the Pike is backed up.”
A road nickname used across Massachusetts.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
the Pru
The Prudential Tower or the Prudential Center in Back Bay.
“Meet me by the Pru.”
Ask for the exact entrance; the complex is large.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
Southie
South Boston, a city neighborhood.
“We're meeting friends in Southie.”
Different from the South End.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
Eastie
East Boston, a city neighborhood.
“The sunset looks good from Eastie.”
A neighborhood nickname, not an accent spelling.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
the Dot
Dorchester, a city neighborhood.
“My cousins live in the Dot.”
A nickname; not everyone in Dorchester uses it.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
the Cape
Cape Cod.
“They're heading down the Cape this weekend.”
Regional shorthand, not a Boston neighborhood.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
the Charles
The Charles River.
“We walked along the Charles at sunset.”
A local shortcut for the river's name.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
Comm Ave
Commonwealth Avenue.
“Get off at the stop on Comm Ave.”
A common local abbreviation.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
Mass Ave
Massachusetts Avenue.
“The shop is just off Mass Ave.”
The road runs through several communities.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
Dot Ave
Dorchester Avenue.
“There's a new place on Dot Ave.”
It runs from Dorchester into South Boston.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
staties
State troopers.
“The staties closed the ramp.”
A Massachusetts colloquial term.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
nor'easter
A storm that moves along the East Coast, often with strong northeast winds.
“That nor'easter cancelled the ferry.”
A much broader East Coast term, not uniquely Boston.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Local word#
leaf peeper
Someone traveling to see autumn foliage.
“Leaf peepers filled the train north.”
New England-wide, often used jokingly.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
mud season
The soggy stretch after winter thaw.
“The trail's closed during mud season.”
More of a rural New England expression than a Boston city term.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Local word#
scrod
A menu term for young or prepared white fish, often cod or haddock.
“What's the scrod today?”
The exact fish can vary; ask the restaurant.
Source: Yankee · Guide to New England slang ↗Around town#
Beantown
A nickname for Boston, mostly used by visitors and advertisers.
“Visitors may say Beantown; locals often just say Boston.”
Many Bostonians dislike this as an everyday nickname.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
the Hub
A longstanding nickname for Boston.
“A visitor asked why Boston is called the Hub.”
More common in writing and slogans than ordinary directions.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Around town#
Dunks
Informal shorthand for Dunkin'.
“I grabbed coffee at Dunks.”
Dunkin' is a brand name; this entry does not imply affiliation.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Accent spelling#
pahk
Playful spelling of park.
“Pahk the cah where parking is allowed.”
Illustrates the classic R-less sound before a consonant; not every Bostonian speaks this way.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
cah
Playful spelling of car.
“I left the cah near the Common.”
At the end of a phrase, a traditional non-rhotic speaker may weaken the R; before a vowel it can return.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
yahd
Playful spelling of yard.
“The back yahd finally gets sun.”
One possible literary spelling, not a phonetic standard.
Source: Journal of Linguistic Geography · Boston accent research ↗Accent spelling#
hahbah
Playful spelling of harbor.
“Meet me near the hahbah.”
Combines a classic START vowel spelling with a reduced final R.
Source: Journal of Linguistic Geography · Boston accent research ↗Accent spelling#
smaht
Playful spelling of smart.
“That's a smaht way to skip the traffic.”
The line 'wicked smaht' is often used as a Boston accent joke.
Source: Journal of Linguistic Geography · Boston accent research ↗Accent spelling#
watah
Playful spelling of water.
“Bring some watah for the walk.”
Vowels vary between speakers; this spelling is an illustration, not a recording.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
bubblah
Playful spelling of bubbler: a drinking fountain.
“There's a bubblah at the end of the hall.”
This combines regional vocabulary with accent spelling.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Accent spelling#
blinkah
Playful spelling of blinker: a turn signal.
“Use yah blinkah at the next turn.”
A documented colloquial rendering; please actually signal.
Source: WBUR · Greater Boston slang field guide ↗Accent spelling#
hahd
Playful spelling of hard.
“Finding parking is hahd on a game night.”
One possible rendering of a classic Boston START word.
Source: Journal of Linguistic Geography · Boston accent research ↗Accent spelling#
cahd
Playful spelling of card.
“Don't forget your CharlieCard.”
The standalone sound example is cahd; product and brand names stay spelled normally.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
staht
Playful spelling of start.
“Staht with the first stop on the map.”
A START vowel plus a reduced post-vowel R.
Source: Journal of Linguistic Geography · Boston accent research ↗Accent spelling#
pahty
Playful spelling of party.
“The pahty starts at eight.”
A playful written cue, not a rule for everyone.
Source: Journal of Linguistic Geography · Boston accent research ↗Accent spelling#
fathah
Playful spelling of father.
“My fathah taught me the route.”
The final unstressed R may be reduced in a traditional accent.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
muthah
Playful spelling of mother.
“My muthah knows every side street.”
Playful spelling of one possible pronunciation.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
bruthah
Playful spelling of brother.
“My bruthah took the earlier train.”
Playful spelling of one possible pronunciation.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
sistah
Playful spelling of sister.
“My sistah picked the restaurant.”
Playful spelling of one possible pronunciation.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
teachah
Playful spelling of teacher.
“Ask your teachah about the field trip.”
Playful spelling of a reduced final R.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
bettah
Playful spelling of better.
“The weather looks bettah tomorrow.”
Playful spelling of a reduced final R.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
dinnah
Playful spelling of dinner.
“Let's get dinnah after the show.”
A pronunciation spelling; dinner still means the meal, not supper as an accent translation.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
summah
Playful spelling of summer.
“It's finally summah by the water.”
Playful spelling of a reduced final R.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
wintah
Playful spelling of winter.
“That first wintah storm came early.”
Playful spelling of a reduced final R.
Source: WBUR · Five features of the Boston accent ↗Accent spelling#
mahkah
Playful spelling of marker.
“Where's the mahkah for the map?”
An illustration, not a universal local pronunciation.
Source: Journal of Linguistic Geography · Boston accent research ↗Accent spelling#
bahbah
Playful spelling of barber.
“The bahbah closes at five.”
An illustration, not a universal local pronunciation.
Source: Journal of Linguistic Geography · Boston accent research ↗Accent spelling#
quahtah
Playful spelling of quarter.
“Got a quahtah for the old meter?”
Spelling approximates sound and is not a phonetic transcription.
Source: Journal of Linguistic Geography · Boston accent research ↗A little context
About those missing R's.
In one traditional Eastern New England accent, an R after a vowel may fade before a consonant or pause. A linking R can return before another vowel. Vowels and usage also vary by neighborhood, age, and speaker. That's why a written translator can only be a game.