signifyin'

noun

A practice in African-American culture of exploiting the gap between the denotative and figurative meanings of words, as by insulting someone to show them affection.

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Meanings

nounsignifyin' (uncountable)

alternative signifyin(g)

  1. uncountableA practice in African-American culture of exploiting the gap between the denotative and figurative meanings of words, as by insulting someone to show them affection.
Cite this entry
APA

signifyin'. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/signifyin'

MLA

“signifyin'.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/signifyin'. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “signifyin',” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/signifyin'.

Source: signifyin' on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.