Slang dictionary
realest
[ree-uh-list]
What does聽realest mean?
Realest is the superlative form of聽real, used in slang for someone or something “extremely authentic” or “exceptional.”
Where does realest come from?
The word 谤别补濒听dates back to the 14th century, meaning “true” or “existing.” Reality and realize are related terms.聽By native rules of English grammar, the superlative form of聽real is realest, or the “most real” thing or idea.
Real‘s sense of true became associated with “honest” qualities of a person, illustrated in this one instance from a 1923 House and Garden:聽“It is not a bad idea to locate one’s dream house in imagination first. It is inexpensive in upkeep and gives one time to mull over one’s innermost鈥攁nd therefore realest鈥攍ongings.”
Perhaps growing out of 19th-century expressions like the real McCoy聽(“the genuine article”), real proliferated in slang in the late 19th century: for real, get real, 补苍诲听keep it real, all variously signifying “authenticity” and being “rooted.” By the 1990s,聽谤别补濒别蝉迟听extended as a slang descriptor, found in hip-hop slang by 1994, for “exceptional,” used alongside other terms like chillest 补苍诲听illest, all conveying “best.”聽Realest specifically maintains a sense of聽“relatable and trustworthy,” especially said in the 2000s of聽celebrities, politicians, or other public figures when they show their personal, or real, sides.
Examples of realest
Who uses realest?
Realest is particularly present in black speech and on social media. In this slang meaning, someone who is the聽realest is the “best” in that they are original and down-to-earth鈥攁lways, sometimes vulnerably, true to who they are and treating others the same way. Referring to someone as the聽realest is a sign of respect for their consistent dedication, talent, loyalty, or other positive qualities. In this way, realest is generalizing as a slang term for “excellent.”
Calling oneself the realest can be see as performative or boastful while telling someone an opinion that is the realest聽may deliver a truth that is hard to swallow.
Realest is prevalent in hip-hop and pop music. Rapper Jevon Jones, for instance, has gone by the stage name聽The Realest since at least the late 1990s. Showing the spread of the word from hip-hop to the mainstream, Australian singer Iggy Azalea opened her breakout 2014 hit “Fancy” with the line: “First things first, I’m the realest.” This lyric inspired a slew of cheeky merchandise playing off the word realest, as in shirts with an image of Santa Claus affirming that he is the realest. Google searches for聽realest demonstrated a modest spike when the Iggy Azalea song gained popularity in the United States, but not as high as in 2005 following rapper Yung Ro’s song, “Who is the Realest.”
Note
This is not meant to be a formal definition of realest like most terms we define on 亚洲网紅露点, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of realest that will help our users expand their word mastery.