adjective Music Slang

Def

/dɛf/ · adjective · slang

Excellent, the best, top-tier, the word that named a whole record label.

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Definitions

1

Excellent, cool, or the very best, used as strong approval.

“That new track is def, I've had it on repeat all week.”
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2

Stylish and impressive in appearance or execution.

“Her whole outfit was def, head to toe fresh.”
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3

Used to affirm something as top quality or first-rate.

“The party was def, best jam of the summer.”
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Def In A Sentence

His DJ set was absolutely def from the first cut.
Those are some def sneakers, where'd you cop them?
The crew rolled in looking def as ever.

Origin & Usage

A late-70s and 80s hip-hop term for excellent, possibly derived from 'death' as ultimate praise or from Jamaican patois; it was cemented in the culture by Russell Simmons' Def Jam label.

Variants deffdef jam

People Also Ask

What does def mean in slang?

It means excellent, cool, or the best, used as a high compliment in 80s hip-hop culture.

Where did def come from?

From late-70s and 80s hip-hop slang; theories trace it to 'death' as superlative praise or to Jamaican patois, and Def Jam Records made it iconic.

Is def related to deaf?

No, despite the sound; 'def' meaning excellent is a separate slang word with its own history in hip-hop.

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