 | This article is missing information about definitions of particular phrases.(August 2021) |
A number of slang terms have been used on Drag Race . Some terms in the list already existed within drag culture, but were more widely popularized by their use on various iterations of the show, while others originated within the franchise itself. During his 2018 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert , RuPaul described some of the show's terminology to host Stephen Colbert. [1]
Slang terms used on the series have included:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| American dream [2] | |
| apolo-lie | a fake apology, coined by Widow Von'Du (season 12) [3] |
| bam | a joyous expression used by Alexis Mateo (season 3; All Stars seasons 1 and 5), [2] originally for season 3's "Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Style" maxi challenge and later repeated by RuPaul [4] |
| beat [5] [6] / beat one's face [2] [7] | to blend one's makeup, often with a sponge |
| best Judies / Judies [8] | a gay man's gay best friend, usually platonically; the name of an All Stars season 4 makeover challenge |
| BGB / bye, girl, bye [2] | term used when one queen is annoyed with another |
| big girl | a drag queen who wears plus-size clothing [2] |
| body-ody-ody | an exclamation of when a drag queen with a feminine form shows off her figure [9] |
| booger [2] | a drag queen whose presentation is unpolished or messy, see: busted |
| break the dawn [2] | to give all that one has to something |
| busted [6] | being unpolished or messy |
| Bye, Felicia [10] | a way of dismissing or shutting down another queen, or ending a conversation |
| chanté, you stay [2] / shantay, you stay [7] / shante, you stay [5] | phrase used by RuPaul to declare then winner of a lip sync |
| charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent [2] [7] | euphemism for C.U.N.T, shown by the first letter of each word |
| chicken cutlets | gel inserts used to create cleavage [2] |
| choices | a catchphrase used by Tatianna (season 2; All Stars season 2) [4] |
| condragulations [2] [7] | drag wordplay for the word "congratulations" |
| cooking | allowing time for face powder to set [5] |
| country realness | "authentic Southern style" and a season 2 runway category [2] |
| cucu | Cynthia Lee Fontaine's (seasons 8 and 9) name for the buttocks [4] |
| death drop [6] | dance move where a queen dramatically falls back into a stroke pose, usually at the end of a lipsync or during a beat drop |
| drag mother [2] [6] / dragmother [7] | an established drag queen who mentors a new queen, her "daughter"; many queens use the same last name as their drag mother, creating "family" lineages, sometimes called "houses" |
| eat it | a "confident expression" used by Latrice Royale (season 4; All Stars seasons 1 and 4) "when she is feeling fabulous... It essentially means that those around you must accept the fact that you're that great." [4] |
| echa pa lante | a catchphrase translating to "go for it" in Spanish, used by Yara Sofia (season 3; All Stars season 1 and 6) [2] [4] |
| eleganza extravaganza [7] / extravaganza eleganza [2] | something possessing extreme elegance; sometimes a runway category |
| family [5] | a group of queens who have been mentored by a drag "mother"; the group may also be referred to as a "house" |
| fierce [2] [5] | extremely well put together, well-performed, fashionable, beautiful; high praise. "Her make-up looked fierce." "Her lip sync performance was fierce." |
| fish [5] [7] / fishy [2] [6] | a term used to describe when a drag queen looks like a cisgender woman |
| gag [6] [7] / gagging [11] | another term used in place of "stunned" |
| garage doors [2] | one solid color of eyeshadow heavily applied over the entire lid and up to the eyebrow |
| girl / gurl [7] | nickname for a drag queen from a fellow queen |
| go Mary-Kate [2] | to wear multiple layers of clothing, in the style of Mary-Kate Olsen |
| halleloo | an expression of joy or praise used by Shangela (seasons 2 and 3; All Stars season 3) [2] as another way of saying "hallelujah"; [4] the phrase is "impossible to forget" and "without question, the first legitimate catch phrase that came out of this franchise", according to Screen Rant 's Bernardo Sim [4] |
| heather | "a conventionally pretty drag queen and member of the 'popular' clique", from the film Heathers [2] |
| henny | an alternate pronunciation of "honey" and a catchphrase popularized by Stacy Layne Matthews (season 3), who returned for the All Stars season 4 episode "Super Girl Groups, Henny!" [4] |
| hieeee | catchphrase popularized by Alaska Thunderfuck (season 5; All Stars season 2), sometimes said high-pitched; later used by other contestants, as well as RuPaul and Michelle Visage on most episodes of the podcast What's the Tea? [4] |
| house [5] | a group of drag queens who were all mentored by the same "mother" |
| hunty [7] [12] | a term of endearment, may be a portmanteau of "honey" and "cunty" |
| interior illusions lounge | a backstage room where contestants wait during judge deliberations [2] |
| kai kai [2] [13] | a sexual or romantic relationship between two drag queens |
| ki ki [7] / kiki [6] [11] | a gathering of friends, possibly for the purpose of gossipping (not to be confused with kai kai) |
| ladyboy | a synonym for a drag queen, and a song by RuPaul performed by season 2 contestants [2] |
| leotarded | wearing a bodysuit [2] |
| library [5] [7] | name of a group act in which queens verbally insult (or "read") each other about their acts, looks or personas, usually meant in jest |
| lip sync for your life [2] [7] | a lip-syncing challenge between an episode's bottom two queens, in which the loser is eliminated from the competition |
| Meryl Streep realness [2] | serious acting, instead of going big during a performance, you act more reserved |
| Miss Vanjie | a catchphrase made "instantly famous" by Vanessa Vanjie Mateo (seasons 10 and 11) when she repeated the phrase three times while walking backward during her season 10 sashay away; according to Screen Rant, the catchphrase is "one of the most memorable" in the show's history and how some fans refer to Vanessa Vanjie Mateo [4] |
| okurrr [14] | a positive expression, derivative of "okay" |
| party | Adore Delano's (season 6; All Stars season 2) catchphrase used "as a reaction to something that was said, and can mean a myriad of things depending on the context" [4] |
| Pit Crew [2] [7] | ensemble of male models, often wearing revealing clothing (not in drag) who appear on camera for various segments |
| PMP [2] | an acronym standing for "Post Modern Pimp-Ho" |
| purse first | catchphrase used by Bob the Drag Queen (season 8), who later released a song by this title [4] |
| read [2] [5] [7] / reading [6] [11] | verbally insulting another queen about their acts, looks, or persona, often in jest; the act of several queens taking turns to share insults is called a "library" |
| realness [5] [7] | authenticity, accuracy; embodiment of the truest version of something |
| resting on pretty [2] | using your looks to move forward in the competition instead of being a well-rounded queen that can act, dance, do comedy, etc. |
| sashay away [2] [5] [7] [13] | phrase used by RuPaul when eliminating a queen |
| serve [7] | presenting a specific concept or idea |
| sexcretary | a "sexy-looking" secretary [2] |
| shade [5] [7] | an insult or negative comment; may be said behind one's back |
| she done already done had herses [5] | a phrase popularized by RuPaul, referring to a time when RuPaul was at a restaurant in the pick-up line and somebody tried to take food that did not belong to her. The woman told the patron, "She done already done had herses." RuPaul adopted the phrase and uses it frequently, usually when "she-mail" comes on the screen for the contestants to see a video message |
| she owns everything | to be "the one true queen" or "the most fabulous", according to Marie Claire [5] |
| sickening [2] [5] [6] [7] | used to refer to a queen who is exceptionally “amazing” or “flawless” |
| sissy that walk [5] [7] | walk confidently, usually down the runway; walk like a woman |
| Snatch Game [7] | a challenge in which contestants showcase their best celebrity impersonations in a game show setting; Snatch Game is a parody of the classic television show Match Game (1962–1991), where contestants attempted to match celebrities' answers to "fill-in-the-blank" questions |
| snatched [15] | small-waisted, or otherwise attractive and on-point |
| Soul Train realness [2] | refers to the embodiment and expression of the unique style, energy, and authenticity associated with the dancers on the iconic television show "Soul Train," often referenced in voguing and ballroom culture |
| spilling the tea [11] | sharing gossip |
| sprepper [2] | a combination of Sprite and Dr. Pepper as explained by Carmen Carerra: It's not necessarily a bad thing but it isn't a good thing either; mediocre |
| T [2] / tea [5] [6] / tee [7] | gossip, juicy news |
| throw shade [16] / throwing shade [2] [6] [13] | to insult |
| tuck [2] [7] | noun: the illusion of a feminine crotch line; verb: the act of positioning one's penis and testicles back and up into the body to create a feminine silhouette of the crotch area |
| two piece and a biscuit | a Popeyes meal option and Mystique's (season 2) "secret to success" [2] |
| werk / work [2] [7] | to own it on the runway [7] |
| who-ho | a "ho" dressed like a Who from Dr. Seuss' fictional town of Whoville [2] |
| yas / yas, queen! [11] | derivative of "yes"; used to agree with or encourage something or someone |
Polari is a form of slang or cant historically used in Britain by some actors, circus and fairground showmen, professional wrestlers, merchant navy sailors, criminals and sex workers, and particularly among the gay subculture. There is some debate about its origins, but it can be traced to at least the 19th century and possibly as early as the 16th century. Polari has a long-standing connection with Punch and Judy street puppeteers, who traditionally used it to converse.
A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and have been a part of gay culture.
An AFAB queen, diva queen or hyper queen is a drag queen who is a woman, or a non-binary person who was assigned female at birth. These performers are generally indistinguishable from the more common male or transgender female drag queens in artistic style and techniques.
Nea Marshall Kudi Ngwa, better known by his stage name BeBe Zahara Benet, is a Cameroonian-American drag performer, television personality, and musician best known for winning the first season of the reality-television drag competition RuPaul's Drag Race in 2009. In 2018, he returned as a surprise contestant for the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, placing in the top four.
Coco Montrese is the stage name of Lenwood Martin Cooper, an American drag queen, entertainer, and reality television personality. Montrese came into the spotlight after being crowned Miss Gay America 2010 when Alyssa Edwards' title was revoked. She subsequently appeared on the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race as well as the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.
April Carrión is the stage name of Jason Carrión, a Puerto Rican drag queen and television personality best known for their appearance on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.
Jamin Ruhren, better known by the stage name Acid Betty, is an American drag queen, performer, actor and singer. He rose to national prominence after competing on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race in 2016.
Milk is the stage name of Daniel P. Donigan, an American drag performer who came to attention on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, and the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars.
Thorgy Thor is the stage name of Shane Thor Galligan, an American drag queen and musician who came to international attention on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and on the third season of All Stars.
Blair St. Clair is an American drag queen, singer, and hair stylist known for competing on the tenth season of the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race, as well as the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.
Dusty Ray Bottoms is the stage name of Dustin Rayburn, a drag performer most known for competing on season 10 of RuPaul's Drag Race. In 2022, Rayburn was featured in Conversion, a new documentary film produced by Chronicle Cinema. Rayburn was featured in Rolling Stone magazine for Pride Month in 2023.
Monét X Change is the stage name of Kevin Akeem Bertin, a Saint Lucian-American drag queen, singer, podcaster, and reality television personality. She is known for competing on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race (2018), on which she placed sixth and was crowned the season's Miss Congeniality, and for winning the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2018–2019) alongside Trinity the Tuck. She returned to compete in the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, an all-winners season, where she placed runner-up.
Miz Cracker is the stage name of Maxwell Elias Heller, an American drag queen and television personality. He is best known for placing fifth on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and for being a runner-up on the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.
Giovanni Lucca Palandrani, better known by his stage name Aquaria, is an American drag queen, television personality, and recording artist best known for winning the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race in 2018.
Mrs. Kasha Davis is the stage name of Edward Paul Popil Jr., an American drag queen, actor and television personality from Scranton, Pennsylvania. She is best known for competing on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. After appearing on the reality television show, Mrs. Kasha Davis toured internationally, released several musical singles, and performed in film, television and theatre.
Karlize Zaitane Sanchez, known by the stage name Nicky Doll, is a French drag queen, television personality, and musician based in New York City. He is best known as the main host of Drag Race France and a competitor on the twelfth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.
A Rusical is a musical theatre challenge recurring across the Drag Race television franchise. Rusical productions began in 2014 during the sixth season of the American series, and have subsequently become "a highly anticipated staple" of the reality competition, allowing contestants to showcase their talents.
JR's Bar and Grill is a gay bar in Neartown, Houston, in the U.S. state of Texas. Charles Armstrong is the owner.
