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Abe Lincoln

A United States five-dollar bill.

ˈeɪb ˈlɪŋkənDocumented since 1920s1920sSilenthistoricalCurrent241 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
2 definitions
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Etymology timeline

Born ~1929 · 1 year of recorded use
1929Born2026: 2 citationsToday, 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

Global
#1·Apr 26, 2026Global

A United States five-dollar bill.

I could do with a little change myself tonight—a few Abe Lincolns and some tens.
Origin: From the portrait of Abraham Lincoln featured on them. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"Abe Lincoln" means a united states five-dollar bill. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.

For ESL learners

"Abe Lincoln" is informal English meaning a united states five-dollar bill. It is used widely across English varieties. A more formal or neutral equivalent would be something like "a united states five-dollar bill" expressed in standard vocabulary. A common mistake is to assume "Abe Lincoln" can replace its standard equivalent in every register; keep it for spoken or casual situations and use the formal form in writing. If you are a B2 or C1 learner, it is useful to recognise this word when you hear or read it, but think carefully about whether the situation really calls for it before using it yourself.

Heard in the wild
  • “"I don't know if God's on our side, but I pray that we're on his side." Abe Lincoln”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Like Abe Lincoln is just sorting it out during one game, and he's thinking "Oh, I scored four states so far." Thus, explaining the four score part in his speech.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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Global
#2·Apr 26, 2026Global

(rare) A penny .

He knew he’d probably drop a couple of Abe Lincolns or maybe even an Andrew Jackson on bets, as Preston fanned down a row of cans and bottles while his bullets strayed harmlessly into tree trunks and Mother Earth, but any connection was …
Heard in the wild
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For specific readers

"Abe Lincoln" means a united states five-dollar bill. It is one of many casual words teens pick up from friends, social media, music or sport, and on its own it carries no particular warning. If you hear your teen use it, it is fair to ask what they mean by it in their friend group, since meanings drift quickly. Asking out of curiosity rather than alarm tends to keep the conversation open and useful.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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🗺️About Regional & Other slang

Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.

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