Every place has its own slang, like “wicked” in Boston, or “hella” in California, but did you know we have our own words and phrases in Maryland? 

Maryland has a mix of regional slang, influenced by Baltimore, D.C., and Eastern Shore culture. Here are 10 common slang words and phrases you may hear around the state. How many have you heard (or used)?

1. "BAMMA" – A person with a bad fashion sense or outdated style (common in the D.C.-Maryland area). "I tried to tell him that outfit was straight Bamma, but he still wore it to the party like it was fresh."

2. "JONT" or "JAUNT" – A general placeholder word for anything (similar to "thing" or "stuff"). "Pass me that jont real quick—I wanna see what it looks like up close."

3. "O’S" – Short for the Baltimore Orioles (the MLB team)."We're heading to Camden Yards tonight to watch the O’s take on the Yankees." And, of course, screaming “Ohh” in the middle of the National Anthem is required at any sporting event.

4. "DOWNY OWE SHIN" — How Marylanders might pronounce "Down the Ocean," or "Down the Shore" meaning heading to Ocean City, MD. "We’re thinking about taking a trip Downy Owe Shin this weekend to hit the boardwalk and chill on the beach."

5. "HOCO" – Short for Howard County or “MOCO” for Montgomery County. "I'm heading to HoCo this weekend to visit some friends and check out the scene."

6. "CODDIE" – A fried codfish cake, popular in Baltimore. "I stopped by the corner store and grabbed a coddie real quick—nothing hits better than a crispy one with mustard."

7. "SICE" – To exaggerate or hype something up. Example: "You really sicing that movie, was it that good?" "Yo, you really sice that movie up, but it wasn’t even all that!"

8. "DUMMIE" – A Baltimore term for "friend" or "dude," often used playfully. "Ay dummie, you tryna hit up the harbor later or what?"
   

9. “SHORTY”— Can refer to a young person or someone’s significant other. "Yo, shorty, you trying to roll with us to the game this weekend?"

10. "HON" – A term of endearment short for honey."Hey Hon, you want me to grab you a Natty Boh while I’m at the bar?" Also refers to a style of Baltimore women made famous by John Waters' iconic film, Pink Flamingo. There is even an annual Hon Fest where pagaent contestants vie for the title of Miss Hon.