cap
A lie, exaggeration, or boast.
By Cal Hewitt, Gen X · Researched from public sources ·
What it actually means
Calling something cap means saying it is false or exaggerated. To be capping means to lie, front, boast, or make inflated claims. It is the opposite of no cap.
See the quick definition in the cap dictionary entry.
Where it came from
Cap and capping are rooted in African American English, where capping had meanings including boasting, exaggerating, lying, and insulting. Merriam-Webster notes mid-twentieth-century evidence, while hip-hop popularized related forms including high capping in the 1980s.
No single person is credited, the origin is commonly reported.
Where it's popular
African American English, hip-hop, gaming, and English-language social media.
It is now widespread beyond its source community.
How it caught on
- mid-1900sSources record capping in African American English.
- 1980sHip-hop used high capping and related forms.
- 2010s-2020sCap became a mainstream online accusation of lying.
How to use it
“You met Beyoncé? That is cap.”
Calling a claim false.
“Stop capping about your score.”
Telling someone to stop exaggerating.
Common mix-ups
Cap is not about a hat in this slang sense.
Do you actually know it?
Cap or facts?
0/31. “That is cap” means:
2. Capping means:
3. Cap is rooted in:
Related slang
Questions people ask
What does cap mean?
A lie, exaggeration, or boast.
What does capping mean?
Lying, exaggerating, fronting, or boasting.
Where did cap come from?
It is rooted in African American English and later spread through hip-hop and online culture.
Capping also has a history connected to the dozens, a Black verbal wordplay tradition.
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