50 Canadian Slang Words Our American Friends Don't Understand

Canadian culture is more unique than you might think. In fact, drop any of these common Canadian slang terms while visiting our neighbours to the south, and you may just be greeted with a blank stare or two. From ordering your coffee double double to wearing your toque in the winter — well, that’s just so Canadian.

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Caesar

Be careful if you order a Caesar from an American bartender — you might wind up with a salad. A Bloody Mary is the closest equivalent for our friends south of the border, but it's just not the same.

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Canadian tuxedo

A blue denim jacket when worn with a pair of blue jeans? That’s a Canadian tuxedo, and we're proud of it! Even our American friends love it: remember Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears at the 2001 American Music Awards?

Young Asian woman wearing a printed robe and holding a glass.

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Housecoat

The item of clothing Americans refer to as a bathrobe or (if they’re classy) a dressing gown is known to Canadians by it’s true name: the housecoat.

A closeup of some freezies of different colours and flavours

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Freezies

What do you think of when you see one of these colourful, chilly tubes? Freeze pops? Here, we call ’em freezies! And in the summer, we like to spend our fun money on 'em!

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Toque

In Canada, a knit hat in a toque — not a beanie. Worn by everyone in winter and by hipsters over the summer.

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KD

Canadians love their Kraft Dinner — so much so that we’ve shortened the mac-and-cheese product to two letters that will mystify Americans who don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.

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Parkade

In Canada, we call a parking garage called a parkade. Now to remember where we parked...

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Hydro bill

Americans pay their utility bills or electric bills, Canadians pay hydro bills. And that hydro bill can be expensive, because Canadian cities and towns have some of the worst winters.

Three young women sit on a tobaggan sled in the snow.

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Toboggan

Americans like to go sledding in the winter, but Canadians will always prefer tobogganing.

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Timbit

The Tim Hortons' Timbit has become utterly ingrained in Canadian culture. In the US? Not so much. For our American friends it's a doughnut ball!

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Tap

When it comes to the sink, Americans turn on the faucet, but a Canadian gets water out of the tap.

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Serviette

Why use a napkin when you can use something as fancy-sounding as a serviette?

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Pencil crayons

Pencil crayons are a distinctly Canadian term for coloured pencils.

Speaking of office supplies and work, can we talk about these email phrases you need to stop using in work e-mails?

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Dart

More than just something you throw, a "dart" is also Canadian slang for a cigarette, as in, “I’m heading out behind the dumpster to go have a dart.”

Hand removing Canadian money from wallet.

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Dinged

In the US, cars get dinged. In Canada, it’s our wallets, as in, “I got dinged 90 bucks for that speeding ticket.”

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Elastics

Rubber bands? In Canada, we call them elastics.

Hands holding up glasses of champagne at party

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Gong show

To Americans, The Gong Show is an intentionally awful talent show hosted by a heavily disguised (and proudly Canadian!) Mike Myers. For us, the term “gong show” (sometimes shortened to “gonger”) is slang for anything that goes off the rails — a wild, crazy or just plain chaotic event.

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Hang a Larry or Roger

Where an American in a car’s passenger seat would tell the driver to take a left, a Canadian would say to hang a Larry (or a Roger for a right turn).

Carton of homo milk next to glass of milk

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Homo milk

Every Canadian knows that this is short for homogenized milk.

Three young women pouring champagne into glasses.

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Champagne birthday

Americans are often surprised to learn that a champagne birthday refers to the date when you celebrate the birthday that equates to the date of your birth, such as celebrating your 28th birthday on the 28th of May.

Red Adirondack Chairs and Distant Snowcapped Rocky Mountains Winter Landscape at Three Jack Lake in Banff National Park Alberta Canada

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Chinook

An American might recognize the word as referring to a species of salmon or a type of Canadian military helicopter, but only a true Canadian knows a Chinook is an unseasonably warm wind that rise over the Rockies and heat up as they descend.

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Stag or stagette

In Canada, a stag is a bachelor party, while a bachelorette or bride's pre-wedding equivalent may be called a stagette.

Young woman wearing a hat while smiling and typing on laptop.

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Keener

This one might be a bit on the not-so-nice side, but, simply put: a keener refers to a brown-noser, suck-up, bootlicker... You get the drift.

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The letter Z

Americans pronounce it zee. Canadians pronounce it zed, much to the detriment of the "Alphabet Song."

Young woman hiking while wearing red backpack

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Knapsack

A knapsack is another word for backpack. Speaking of, here are a few backpacks that are actually cool to wear as an adult.

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Washroom

Americans call it the "men's room" or "ladies' room." We're also promoting more gender neutral terms across our nation for a more inclusive vibe so all Canadians can love their lives.

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Eavestroughs

This is another way to say rain gutters. Our term sounds way cooler, no?

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Garburator

The garburator is the garbage disposal unit found beneath a kitchen sink.

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Runners

Runners refer to any kind of athletic footwear. We support the sneakerhead trend and get why it's all the rage!

Young Black woman drinking from a glass.

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Mickey

A mickey is a 13-ounce (give or take) bottle of hard alcohol.

Black man with braids wearing white underwear

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Gitch or gotch

This is a Avery classy term for men's underwear.

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Chocolate bar

Americans call it a candy bar, which seems weird. To us, gummy worms are candy, ya know?

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Processed cheese

AKA American Cheese. Make your own joke here.

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Humidex

This is a easurement used to gauge the combined effect of heat and humidity.

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Two-four

A case of 24 beers. Cans or bottles: your choice!

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Klick

Dreaming of road trips? This is a slang term for "kilometre."

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Chesterfield

A chesterfield is a couch or sofa. Refer to the Barenaked Ladies song, "If I Had a Million Dollars."

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Kerfuffle

A scuffle or commotion, typically resulting from conflicting views.

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Deke

This meao physically outmaneuver an opponent. Typically in hockey. Like hockey? These are the richest hockey players on the planet.

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Pogie

Derived from slang from our Scottish friends, "pogie" means being on welfare or social assistance.

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Molson muscle

A beer belly. And, while you're drinking all that beer, check out these cute dog names. No, "Molson" is not on the list.

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Head’r

AKA to leave. Head out. Duck out. Get out of there. "The meatloaf was superb, mom, but we've gotta head'r."

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Snowbird

Typically, this means a retired Canadian who travels south for the winter. Usually to tacky parts of Florida or Arizona.

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Rotten Ronnie’s / McD*cks

These are terms of "endearment" for McDonald's. While you're chowing down on a Big Mac, check out these 15 weird pet trends you have to see to believe.