Argot
noun /ˈɑːɡəʊ/ — The secret jargon of a particular social group.
Definition
The jargon or slang of a particular group, especially of a criminal or otherwise marginal community — vocabulary designed to exclude outsiders and encode in-group membership.
Beyond the definition
Argot is the language of the inside — specifically, the inside that does not want to be understood by the outside. Thieves, prisoners, soldiers, teenagers, hackers — every closed community develops its own argot. Knowing the argot is the credential. The language encodes not just meaning but belonging.
Origin & history
French argot, of unknown origin — possibly from Old French argot (beggar's craft). Used since the 17th century for the secret vocabulary of criminals and the underworld.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The novel is full of the prison argot of the 1950s — a language that barely survives outside its original context.
Medical students develop their own argot quickly — the vocabulary bonds the cohort.
Each generation's argot becomes the next generation's cliche — slang has a short half-life.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Argot” when the meaning fits your context: The jargon or slang of a particular group, especially of a criminal or otherwise marginal community — vocabulary designed to exclude outsiders and encode in-group membership.
Synonyms
slang, jargon, cant, vernacular
Antonyms
standard language, formal register
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Tablet with Geometric Shapes
An archaeologist studies a tablet with repeated geometric shapes, comparing it to other ancient, unrecognizable objects on a desk.
The geometric shapes on the tablet function like argot—a secret language designed to exclude the uninitiated. To the archaeologist, the shapes represent a vocabulary that encodes in-group membership, keeping the meaning hidden from anyone who doesn't know the code.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Argot" mean?
Argot is noun meaning: The secret jargon of a particular social group.. The jargon or slang of a particular group, especially of a criminal or otherwise marginal community — vocabulary designed to exclude outsiders and encode in-group membership.
Where does the word "Argot" come from?
French argot, of unknown origin — possibly from Old French argot (beggar's craft). Used since the 17th century for the secret vocabulary of criminals and the underworld.