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
Tags #hip-hop#old-school#1980s#vintage#praise#style

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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