---
title: "def · GenZ Decoded"
description: "Excellent, cool, or very good; in casual writing it can also shorten definitely."
url: "https://genzdecoded.com/blog/def/"
lang: "en"
published: "2026-07-26"
modified: "2026-07-29"
image: "https://genzdecoded.com/og/blog-def.jpg"
---

![def, a GenZ Decoded word deep dive](https://genzdecoded.com/og/blog-def.jpg)

# def

adjective/def/also: definitely, definite

Excellent, cool, or very good; in casual writing it can also shorten definitely.

By [Cal Hewitt](https://genzdecoded.com/about/), Gen X · Published Jul 26, 2026 · Updated Jul 29, 2026

Origin

U.S. hip-hop culture

Around

1980-85

Popular on

U

Meaning

## What it means

Def is an approving adjective associated with hip-hop-era slang, as in "That track is def." In messages, def can also be a practical shortening of definitely, as in "I am def coming." The two uses have different grammar: the praise use describes something, while the other intensifies agreement or certainty.

See the quick definition in the [def dictionary entry](https://genzdecoded.com/dictionary/def/).

Usage

## How to use it

- “That beat is def.”

    Praising music or another creative work.

- “Your jacket is def.”

    Giving someone an enthusiastic compliment.

- “I am def going to the show.”

    Using def as a text shorthand for definitely.

Origin

## Where it came from

Dictionary.com records def as slang for "excellent; first-rate" and dates that sense to 1980-85. It became strongly associated with hip-hop culture through 1980s usage, but no single person is reliably documented as its coiner.

Who coined it

No single person is credited, the origin is commonly reported.

- [https://www.dictionary.com/browse/def](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/def)
- [https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/tdrrs4q](https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/tdrrs4q)

Geography

## Where it's popular

U.S. hip-hop culture and the broader English-language pop culture influenced by it.

Def Jam's 1984 founding is one visible marker of the word's close cultural association with hip-hop, but the label did not coin the slang.

Timeline

## How it caught on

1.  1980-85Dictionary.com dates the slang adjective def, meaning excellent or first-rate, to this period.
2.  1984Def Jam Recordings is founded, making def a highly visible word in hip-hop branding.
3.  1985LL COOL J releases Radio on Def Jam, part of the label's early rise.
4.  1990sDef remains recognizable in rap, youth culture, and mainstream media as a compliment.

Heads up

## Common mix-ups

Def is not automatically short for definitely. When it means excellent, it is an adjective; when it means definitely, it is a written shorthand with a different role.

Quiz

## Test yourself

### How def is your def knowledge?

1.  What does "That song is def" mean?

    - That song is unfinished
    - That song is old
    - That song is excellent **(correct answer)**
    - That song is quiet

2.  When did Dictionary.com date the slang sense of def?

    - the 1910s
    - 1980-85 **(correct answer)**
    - the 1950s
    - the 2010s

3.  Which sentence uses def as a shortcut for definitely?

    - I am def coming. **(correct answer)**
    - That jacket is def.
    - The def arrived late.
    - We def the poster.

// the shop [Shop LOST IN TRANSLATION shirts and hoodies for families who speak two kinds of slang](https://genzdecoded.com/shop/)

Related

## Related slang

[dope](https://genzdecoded.com/dictionary/dope/)[fresh](https://genzdecoded.com/dictionary/fresh/)[fire](https://genzdecoded.com/dictionary/fire/)ill[cool](https://genzdecoded.com/dictionary/cool/)

Keep reading

## More word guides

- [dope](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/dope/)
- [Bussin fr fr](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/bussin-fr-fr/)
- [fire](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/fire/)
- [peak](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/peak/)
- [sick](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/sick/)
- [hits different](https://genzdecoded.com/blog/hits-different/)

Across the generations

## How every generation says it

- [How every generation says that's excellent](https://genzdecoded.com/how-to-say/thats-excellent/)

FAQ

## Questions people ask

### What does def mean in slang?

As slang, def means excellent, cool, or first-rate.

### Is def short for definitely?

It can be in casual texts, but the older slang sense means excellent.

### Who coined def?

No single coiner is reliably documented. Dictionaries date the slang sense to the early 1980s.

Did you know

Def Jam was founded in 1984, but its name is evidence of the word's hip-hop visibility, not proof that the record label invented it.

Sources

- [https://www.dictionary.com/browse/def](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/def)
- [https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/tdrrs4q](https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/tdrrs4q)

[See what's trending](https://genzdecoded.com/trending/)[Browse the dictionary](https://genzdecoded.com/glossary/)