phrase Internet Slang

ELI5

/ˌiː ɛl aɪ ˈfaɪv/ · phrase · informal

Explain Like I'm 5 — break it down in dead-simple terms.

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Definitions

1

Used as a humble flag that you're lost and need the no-jargon version.

“I'm gonna need an ELI5 on this crypto stuff, none of it makes sense.”
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2

The name of a famous Reddit community (r/explainlikeimfive) built entirely around plain-language explanations.

“Someone asked it on ELI5 and the top answer was genuinely brilliant.”
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3

A request to explain something complicated in the simplest possible terms, as if talking to a small child.

“ELI5: how does the stock market actually work?”
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ELI5 In A Sentence

ELI5 why the sky is blue, my kid asked and I froze.
Can someone eli5 how taxes work, I'm an adult and clueless.
He gave me the eli5 version and suddenly it clicked.

Origin & Usage

Popularized by the Reddit subreddit r/explainlikeimfive, launched in 2011, though the 'explain it like I'm five' phrasing predates it in casual speech.

Variants eli5explain like i'm five
Tags #acronym#internet#texting#meme

People Also Ask

What does ELI5 mean in slang?

It stands for 'Explain Like I'm 5,' a request for a super-simple explanation with no jargon. It doesn't literally mean you're treating someone like a child.

Where did ELI5 come from?

It blew up thanks to Reddit's r/explainlikeimfive community in 2011. The phrase itself existed in conversation before that.

Is ELI5 an insult?

No, asking for an ELI5 is just admitting you want the basics. It's about clarity, not intelligence.

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