British Slang For Sexy (Revealed!)

The most common British slang word for sexy is “fit”. This one is more or less universal in the country and the most widely known. Other terms are less common, such as “peng”, but you will still be understood for the most part when using them. “Hot” is also very commonly used in British English.

There are only a handful of commonly used slang terms, then, that broadly describe a sexy person in British English.

There are some adjacent terms which might translate to sexy in specific contexts, but they generally have broader meanings and applications than this.

Let’s find out more.

In This Article

What do the British say for sexy?

By far the most common British slang word for sexy is “fit”.

This one is used just about everywhere in the country and is by far the most likely one you’ll hear used.

To be fit means you are sexy, and there can be varying degrees to that.

It could just mean someone you’re a bit attracted to, or it could mean the best looking person you’ve seen in ages.

It depends on any modifiers that might come before it.

Of course, it’s important to remember that this word can also mean physically healthy in British English.

Be wary of the context in which you use and interpret this one, with that in mind.

“She’s so fit I can’t believe it,” for example.

There are a handful of other commonly used terms that you might hear from time to time, but they tend to be a lot more regionally specific.

“Peng” is the best example of this.

Peng is mostly restricted to London, or certain demographics within wider areas.

That said, over time, peng has become a lot more common and been more broadly adopted by wider parts of the British people.

Still, though, it is nowhere near as common as “fit”, and you’re not as likely to be understood well if you use “peng”.

Further, “peng” can also just mean that something is very good, although this is far less common.

“That girl is so peng,” for example.

“Hot”, though generally thought of as being an American slang term, is also very common in Britain today.

It has more or less the same sense that it would in the U.S., with again varying degrees of intensity.

It could mean someone is quite attractive, or it could mean they are “smoking”.

“He’s really hot,” for example.

So, there are a few terms for sexy in British English—where do they come from?

Why do the British say “fit”?

The term is quite old in this context, though naturally, it is related to the other meaning it retains of being physically healthy.

As far back as 1884 it was being used in the sense of being physically attractive, though physical fitness still remained the most common way to use the term.

In terms of how it came to have this meaning, it likely simply related to the fact that physically fit men and women were seen as being more desirable.

Of course, today, such an attitude is fraught with problematic implications.

It’s important to remember that this is not at all the sense in which it is used today.

It is not a term reserved for someone physically attractive because of their fitness, but simply any attractive person.

It gained in popularity over the course of the 20^th Century untl the two meanings of the term had essentially become entirely decoupled from one another.

People do not associate the two terms at all today, though obviously sometimes do have to clarify which sense they mean.

Why do the British say “peng”?

“Peng” is common as a slang word for sexy, though nowhere near as common as “fit”.

This term, as mentioned, can also have a broader sense of something being very good or beautiful.

It is mostly used by London’s black community, although it is also used by black Britons throughout the country.

The word itself ultimately derives from Jamaican Creole.

There, the word kushungpeng was a term for cannabis which was made popular by reggae music, and so eventually caught on as a more general slang term for something really good—and ultimately someone really sexy.

Why do the British say “hot”?

This term is also quite old although it was not until more recently that it gained the popularity it has.

It was originally an American slang term and is still today much more heavily associated with the U.S. than with Britain.

It spread to Britain in the 20^th Century but only really gained widespread popularity in the last few decades or so.

It’s not entirely clear where it comes from, though the sense is quite plain.

Most agree it’s related to the way that seeing a very attractive person makes you feel.

You can get hot and bothered and your heart rate can rise. It could also relate to the use of “hot” as meaning “popular right now”.

Some even relate it to hot jazz. It’s certainly not much older than this as a slang term, arising around the same time jazz gained widespread popularity—so it’s not an impossible theory.

So, in most contexts, you’re probably going to hear the word “fit”.

This one is more or less universal throughout Britain and though it can still carry the other sense of physically fit, from context most will gather that it means sexy.

This one is really the only one you need on a general level. Beyond that, though, there are some terms that are used, like “peng” and “hot”.

More in British Slang

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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