A German slang word meaning 'awesome,' 'cool,' or 'great,' commonly used by younger speakers. Originally had sexual connotations but has evolved to general positive emphasis.
From Middle High German 'geil' meaning 'luxurious, abundant, fertile,' related to Old English 'gāl' meaning 'wanton, lustful.' The semantic shift from sexual to generally positive reflects typical slang evolution where taboo words become intensifiers.
The journey of 'geil' from medieval 'lustful' to modern 'awesome' mirrors how many languages rehabilitate formerly taboo words through youth culture. This semantic bleaching process shows how each generation reclaims and transforms language, often shocking their elders in the process.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.