"Big Bang" means: The cosmic event that marks the beginning of time and the rapid expansion of space for the visible universe. The evolution of the universe s.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
Big Bang
(cosmology) The cosmic event that marks the beginning of time and the rapid expansion of space for the visible universe.
ˈbɪɡ ˈbæŋDocumented since 1940s1940sBoomerhistoricalCurrent123 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026
Etymology timeline
Born ~1949 · 1 year of recorded use20th centurySee decade cohort →
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Atlanta S01E01 - The Big Bang #Atlanta
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BlueskyMay 2026
JWST explores pre Big Bang light Cosmic clues await - To know what Webb discovered today, visit https://www.jameswebbdiscovery.com and Explore Universe with this beginners telescope --> https://amzn.to/3JaxN9u #Astro…
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BlueskyMay 2026
(PLANETS EXPLODING IN FAST TRACK) (BIG BANG REOCCURING) (PEACE AND LOVE AND FLYING BIRDS) DURGEHANA WEDDING CREATED WORLD PEACE ITS TRUE
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BlueskyMay 2026
Gilmore Girls Ted Lasso Brooklyn99 iZombie The Crown Downton Abbey Fleabag Big Bang theory The Office (US) Suits Scrubs Berlin, Berlin Stranger things SpyXFamily Frieren
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BlueskyMay 2026
Someone on BBC 1's Bridge of Lies just owned up to having seen almost all of the big bang theory. Best argument against mandatory voting
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Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
(cosmology) The cosmic event that marks the beginning of time and the rapid expansion of space for the visible universe. The evolution of the universe since that beginning point is described by the Big Bang Theory.
Origin: on the BBC Third Programme, broadcast at 18:30 GMT on 28 March 1949. It is a popular but misinformed belief that this was intended as a derogatory term, Hoyle being a proponent of the opposing steady state theory, but Hoyle himself has rejected that notion. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
"Big Bang" means: The cosmic event that marks the beginning of time and the rapid expansion of space for the visible universe. The evolution of the universe s.... This is a fairly neutral word with no inherent risk attached. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than something dangerous. If your child uses it, context will usually make the meaning clear. A brief, curious question about where they heard it is generally enough to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
"Big Bang" means: The cosmic event that marks the beginning of time and the rapid expansion of space for the visible universe. The evolution of the universe s.... Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. A common non-native mistake is to use the word in the wrong register, or to assume one fixed meaning when it is actually polysemous; always check the surrounding register and the audience before producing it yourself. In formal writing, prefer a neutral synonym or a short descriptive phrase, and use this word only when you have heard or read it being used naturally in a comparable context.
Heard in the wild
“Atlanta S01E01 - The Big Bang #Atlanta”
— Bluesky· May 2026“JWST explores pre Big Bang light Cosmic clues await - To know what Webb discovered today, visit https://www.jameswebbdiscovery.com and Explore Universe with this beginners telescope --> https://amzn.to/3JaxN9u #Astronomy #AmazonAffiliate #NASA #Space”
— Bluesky· May 2026“(PLANETS EXPLODING IN FAST TRACK) (BIG BANG REOCCURING) (PEACE AND LOVE AND FLYING BIRDS) DURGEHANA WEDDING CREATED WORLD PEACE ITS TRUE”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Gilmore Girls Ted Lasso Brooklyn99 iZombie The Crown Downton Abbey Fleabag Big Bang theory The Office (US) Suits Scrubs Berlin, Berlin Stranger things SpyXFamily Frieren”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Big Bang created 93B ly universe - To know what Webb discovered today, visit https://www.jameswebbdiscovery.com and Explore Universe with this beginners telescope --> https://amzn.to/3JaxN9u #Astronomy #AmazonAffiliate #NASA #Space”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Comments
UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK
(UK, finance, historical) The sudden deregulation of financial markets effected by prime minister Margaret Thatcher in 1986.
Heard in the wild
“Someone on BBC 1's Bridge of Lies just owned up to having seen almost all of the big bang theory. Best argument against mandatory voting”
— Bluesky· May 2026“5 de mayo. Preventa de mi nuevo libro "La trayectoria del Big Bang": https://www.planetadelibros.com/libro-la-trayectoria-del-big-bang/448201”
— Bluesky· May 2026“JWST pushes Big Bang limit MoMz14 beauty secrets now - To know what Webb discovered today, visit https://www.jameswebbdiscovery.com and Explore Universe with this beginners telescope --> https://amzn.to/3JaxN9u #Astronomy #AmazonAffiliate #NASA #Space”
— Bluesky· May 2026“It’s great how many astronomical terms sound like Hulk named them. What do we call the initial explosion that created the universe, Hulk? HULK: Big Bang What about the theory that the universe will contract back into a singularity? HULK: Big Crunch.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Pre Big Bang vacuum spark Cosmic origin secrets now - To know what Webb discovered today, visit https://www.jameswebbdiscovery.com and Explore Universe with this beginners telescope --> https://amzn.to/3JaxN9u #Astronomy #AmazonAffiliate #NASA #Space”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
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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UK
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Other words near "Big Bang" (B)
bifterbig and badbigarettebig as bull-beefbig-assbig backbig beastbig bikkiesBig Blue 82big blue blanketBig Blue Machinebig-body
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