Watching Drag Race and wondering what the queens are on about? Drag has its own language, much of it born in Black and Latinx ballroom culture and passed down through queer nightlife. Here's our A to Z of the drag and queer slang you'll hear on screen, on stage and on a lot of our merch.
Drag slang from A to Z
Beat
Flawless make-up. "Her face is beat for the gods."
Bear
A bigger, often hairy gay man, and a whole community. A cub is a younger bear. Wear it: Bear Pride Clack Fan.
Category is…
The call at a ball announcing the theme everyone walks for. Now used for any theme or dress code.
Chop
To be eliminated. On Drag Race, the queen who goes home has been chopped.
Clock
To notice something someone hoped you wouldn't, like a wig line or a padded hip. "I clocked it straight away."
Cunt
In drag and ballroom slang, the highest compliment: fierce, feminine and flawless. To "serve cunt" is to look incredible. Wear it: Serving Cunt Clack Fan.
Daddy
An older, confident man, usually said with admiration. Wear it: Daddy Clack Fan.
Death drop
A dramatic dance move where a performer drops to the floor on their back, one leg bent. Also called a dip.
Delulu
Short for delusional. Lovingly believing something wildly unlikely. Wear it: Delulu Clack Fan.
Diva
A star with attitude. A compliment, mostly. Wear it: Diva Clack Fan.
Drag mother
An experienced queen who teaches a newer one, often giving them their drag name. Her protégées are her drag daughters, and together they form a drag family or house.
Feral
Wild, unhinged and having the best time. The energy at 2am on a night out. Wear it: Feral Clack Fan.
Gagging
So impressed you're lost for words. "I'm gagging!"
Hunty
Honey and another word blended together. Affectionate, with a little bite.
Kiki
A gossipy, giggly get-together with friends.
Lewk
A look, but more. A whole outfit with a concept behind it.
Mother
Someone iconic everyone looks up to. "She's mother." Wear it: Michael Marouli Mother T-shirt.
Purse first
Walking into a room led by your handbag, as dramatically as possible.
Read
A witty insult that picks out someone's flaws. "Reading is fundamental," and on Drag Race, the library is open. Wear it: Paige Three Extra Extra Read All About It T-shirt.
Realness
Looking so convincing in a category that you could pass in the real world. From ballroom culture.
Sashay away
RuPaul's famous goodbye to an eliminated queen. "Shantay, you stay" means the other queen survives.
Shade
A subtle, clever insult. The quieter cousin of a read. "I'm not throwing shade, I'm just saying." Wear it: Shade Clack Fan.
Sickening
So good it's almost too much. The ultimate compliment.
Slay
To do something brilliantly. You can slay a look, a lip sync or a Monday. Wear it: Slay Clack Fan.
Snatched
Perfectly put together, especially a tiny waist or a sharp look. "Stay snatched." Wear it: Kiki Snatch Stay Snatched Fan.
Spill the tea
To share the gossip. "Tea" is the truth, or the latest news. Wear it: Chai T Grande Spill The Congenialitea Mug.
Tuck
Hiding what's down there so the silhouette is smooth. We answer the questions people are too shy to ask in 5 facts about tucking. Wear it: Pixie Polite Ultra Tuck Tote Bag.
Twink
A young, slim gay man, usually with little body hair. Wear it: Paige Three Twink Death T-shirt.
Werk
Work it! Encouragement to strut, serve and give it everything. Wear it: Werk T-shirt.
Yas
Yes, but with feeling. Add more "s"s the more excited you are.
Where the words come from
Many of these words, like reading, shade, realness and category is, come from the ballroom scene created by Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ people in New York, and were made famous by the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning before Drag Race brought them to living rooms everywhere. Using them is part of the fun, and it's worth knowing where they started.
Wear the words
Half the joy of drag slang is saying it loud. Our clack fans carry slogans like Slay, Shade, Werk and Feral, and our queens' collections are full of their own catchphrases. Any two Pinkswag Original fans are £30.
Questions
What does "the library is open" mean?
It means it's time for reading: witty insults about each other's looks and flaws, all in good fun.
What's the difference between shade and a read?
A read is an open, clever insult. Shade is quieter and more subtle, often said with a smile.
What does "sashay away" mean?
It's RuPaul's goodbye to the queen eliminated from Drag Race. The queen who stays hears "shantay, you stay."
Is drag slang the same as queer slang?
They overlap a lot. Many words started in ballroom and drag culture and are now used across the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.
