OG

OG stands for "original gangster," which is often used to honor someone who is really old or has been doing something for a really long time. It may also refer to someone who does gangster-type things, like standing up to authorities.

Technically speaking, an original gangster is a gangster who lived between the early- to late-1900s. In this context, OG refers to mobsters and drug lords who ran crime rings in the United States during this time. In this same context, but in more modern times, OG might describe a person who grew up in the streets as part of a gang or lives out a thug lifestyle.

However, OG may also be used in a lighter manner to reverentially refer to someone who has been doing something for a long time or is just really old. Your math teacher who has been teaching at your school since it opened 30 years ago may be considered an OG.

OG is short for "original" and is commonly used on social media to refer to something unique. Because of their uniqueness, items that are OG also tend to be high-quality.

While OG typically means "original gangster," the abbreviation acquired this variant meaning in the late 2010s. Tweens, teens, and young adults use OG to mean "original" on sites like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.

Some examples of things that might be OG are clothing (likely worn by a social media influencer) and suped-up rides. Songs and movies may also be labeled OG if they are outstanding and unique.

In Olympic slang, OG stands for "Olympic grandma." On July 25, 2021 during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, U.S. Olympian gymnast Simone Biles made the term famous when she paid tribute to fellow veteran gymnast MyKayla Skinner on Twitter.

An Olympic grandma is a female Olympian who is older than the average Olympian. She is typically in her mid to late-twenties, while young Olympians are usually in their early teens, and Olympians in their prime are typically in their late teens and early twenties.

OG is not meant to be an insult, since it is absurd to think that someone in their late-twenties is a grandma. Instead, it is meant as a compliment to the athlete for still competing at an age older than other competing athletes.