17 'Clueless' Terms Translated Into Today's Slang

There isn't a movie that so perfectly defined '90s teen culture as Amy Heckerling's brilliantly crafted Clueless . With its airhead characters, obsession with outlandish fashion, and satirical tropes, the film only gets better with age. But undoubtably, the crowning achievement of this now-dated Emma iteration, is the dialogue. Roger Ebert's 1995 review of the flick described the diction as: “bubblegum hip-hop lingo," adding: “Amy Heckerling walks a fine line between satire and put-on, but she finds it, and her dialogue could be anthologized."

But for the uninitiated, a first-time viewing of the cult classic could prove confusing. Who is Betty, and what's a Monet? What about this Baldwin character? And are cake boys a slang term for caterers? Never fear, clueless Clueless-ians! As someone who has seen the film roughly 100 times, I'll lay out the basic lexicon of Cher, Dionne, and the rest of the crew's vocab, translated in today's vernacular.

Because as Murray so eloquently stated when probed by girlfriend Dionne about his slang: "Okay, but, street slang is an increasingly valid form of expression. Most of the feminine pronouns do have mocking, but not necessarily in misogynistic undertones."

Feminist Murray, #FTW !

CLUELESS GLOSSARY

Clueless Term: As If!

Definition: Yeah right

Today's Term: Bullshit, you wish, whatevs

Clueless Term: Audi

Definition: Out of here. Leaving.

Today's Term: Later!

Clueless Term: Baldwin

Definition: A hottie, studmuffin, extremely attractive male.

Today's Term: Gosling

Clueless Term: Betty

Definition: A gorgeous, beautiful, or stunning woman.

Today's Term: Babe

Clueless Term: Boinkfest

Definition: Sex, an orgy.

Today's Term: Bone

Clueless Term: Buggin'

Definition: To freak out, lose your cool about something

Today's Term: Trippin'

Clueless Term: Cake boy

Definition: A homosexual man

Today's Term: Gay, queer

Clueless Term: Chin Pubes

Definition: Facial hair, often on the chin region, aka a goatee or stubble.

Today's Term: Stache, Van Dyke, Manchu

Clueless Term: Doobie

Definition: Marijuana rolled in paper

Today's Term: Joint

Clueless Term: Hagsville

Definition: Gross, ugly, unattractive

Today's Term: Fugly

Clueless Term: Jeepin'

Definition: Having sex with someone who isn't your spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend

Today's Term: Cheating

Clueless Term: Monet

Definition: Like the paintings, someone who appears attractive from a far, but up close is a "big old mess."

Today's Term: Butterface

Clueless Term: Phat

Definition: Awesome, amazing, incredible

Today's Term: Dope, Fresh

Clueless Term: Postal

Definition: Psychotic

Today's Term: Ballistic, Crazy, Psycho

Clueless Term: Stems

Definition: Legs

Today's Term: ...Legs

Clueless Term: Surfing the crimson wave

Definition: To be on your period

Today's Term: Aunt Flo, Shark Week

Clueless Term: Wiggin'

Definition: To freak out (similar to "buggin'")

Today's Term: Going batshit, trippin'

Images: Paramount Pictures; Giphy; Tumblr