Slangora

Habs

The widely used Canadian nickname for the Montreal Canadiens hockey club, derived from 'les Habitants' -- the historical term for French-Canadian settlers.

/hˈæbz/Current180 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🗺️ Regional & Other
3 definitions
Community
Seen in the wild
5 citations · last seen May 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

#1·Apr 28, 2026

The widely used Canadian nickname for the Montreal Canadiens hockey club, derived from 'les Habitants' -- the historical term for French-Canadian settlers. The nickname has been embraced by fans and media for decades and is how most hockey followers informally refer to the team. It carries both warm affection and French-Canadian cultural pride. The nickname is more affectionate than ironic.

The Habs haven't won the Cup since 1993, and their fans remind you of it constantly.
Origin: Short for 'les Habitants' (the inhabitants/settlers); historical term for French-Canadian farmers, adopted as the team's unofficial nickname. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
Cluster: party
Was this helpful?

Comments

#2·Apr 28, 2026

The affectionate nickname for the Montreal Canadiens, Canada's most storied ice hockey franchise. 'Habs' is short for 'Les Habitants' — a name for the early French-Canadian settlers — and has been the team's unofficial nickname for over a century. With 24 Stanley Cup championships, the Canadiens are the most successful team in NHL history, and calling them the Habs is a badge of loyalty for fans across Quebec and beyond. Usage outside Canada almost always signals a hockey fan.

The Habs haven't won the Cup since 1993, but ask any Montrealer and they'll tell you their time is coming.
Origin: Short for 'Les Habitants', the French word for settlers/inhabitants, which was one of the original names used for early French-Canadian colonists. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
For parents

Habs means: The affectionate nickname for the Montreal Canadiens, Canada's most storied ice hockey franchise. 'Habs' is short for 'Les Habitants' - a name for the early French-Canadian settlers - and has. It is mainly Canadian English and may not be understood outside that context. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour.

For ESL learners

Habs means: The affectionate nickname for the Montreal Canadiens, Canada's most storied ice hockey franchise. 'Habs' is short for 'Les Habitants' - a name for the early French-Canadian. Register: informal, Canadian English. Often not understood outside its region; gloss the word on first use when writing for an international audience. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.

Was this helpful?

Comments

#3·Apr 27, 2026

(Canada) The Montreal Canadiens hockey club.

Cluster: deception
Heard in the wild
  • “Yep. Valuable game 7 experience. Never give up or give in. Doesn’t matter, they’re on to Round two. Go Habs Go! #Canadiens now my team. #Canucks fan has to root for this team!”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “juuuunge lad das auf nen emu oder eines dieser chinadinger mit dual screens, who gives a fuck (Rockstar CERTAINLY do not). habs damals auf dem R4 dingens gespielt.”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “Ça coûte cher la fièvre des séries. @martinotis.bsky.social @davekaufman.bsky.social . Venez pas me dire que les concerts des Stones, c’est cher. Go #Habs Go”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “See you at Habs game 4 at the Bell Centre this Sunday 😎”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “What if i'm a long suffering leafs fan that wants to root for the Habs now. Is that allowed?”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
Was this helpful?

Comments

Have a better definition?

Add your own interpretation of "Habs".

Add definition

🗺️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.

See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.

Tags

Other words near "Habs" (H)

Browse all slang words starting with H.

Related terms

People also read

Semantically related