lingo

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

Language. An outlandish lingo; a foreign tongue. The parlezvous lingo; the French language.

Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English
Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “lingo” mean?

Language. An outlandish lingo; a foreign tongue. The parlezvous lingo; the French language.

Is “lingo” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.