10 Essential American Colloquial Synonyms

How many do you know?

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to another very important American English lesson; colloquial (slang) synonyms! One of the many things that native English speakers take for granted (including myself) is automatically knowing the informal names for everyday things. It comes up almost daily when I’m working with students, which is what inspired me to write this list. Here are 10 alternative words that Americans use daily that I’ve seen confuse English learners.

1) Child(ren) → Kid(s)
Example: They have six children. -> They have six kids.
Origin: The word kid comes from Old Norse kidh, which originally meant a young goat. By the 16th century, it was used metaphorically to mean a young child. Over time, it became a casual synonym for child.

2) Police officer → Cop
Example: Slow down, there’s a police officer ahead. -> Slow down, there’s a cop ahead.
Origin: The term cop likely comes from the verb to cop, meaning “to seize” or “to catch,” from the Old French caper (to take). By the 19th century, it became a slang term for police officers, as they "catch" criminals.

3) Stomach → Belly / Tummy
Example: My stomach hurts. -> My belly hurts. -> My tummy hurts.
Origin: Belly: From Old English belg, meaning “bag” or “pouch.” It became a common term for the stomach area.
Tummy: A childlike or diminutive form of stomach, first recorded in the late 19th century, likely influenced by baby talk.

4) Alcohol → Booze
Example: Is there alcohol in this? -> Is there booze in this?
Origin: The word booze comes from Middle Dutch búsen, meaning "to drink heavily." It entered English slang in the 16th century and became widely popular in the 19th and 20th centuries.

5) Truck → Rig (for a big truck)
Example: He drives a big truck. -> He drives a rig.
Origin: This comes from the verb to rig, meaning “to set up” or “to equip.” By the early 20th century, rig was used in American English to refer to large, complex vehicles, especially trucks.