mandem
Group of male friends; "the lads." From MLE / Black British English.
Etymology timeline
Born ~1990 · 1 year of recorded useSeen in the wild
agora tchibum pois ontem eu faltei se eu morrer mandem nud
gente estou andando pelo vale da sombra da morte lutando batalhas espirituais fortissimas dentro da minha propria cabeça por favor mandem coracoes roxos
10. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joivan_Wade#cite_ref-11)["UK Comedians Mandem on the Wall Talk About Their New Show 'Mandem Live' at the Hackney Empire"](https://trappedmagazine.com/uk-comedians-mandem-wall-talk…
006. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Mandem#cite_ref-6 "Jump up")**["Edmonton Firm / Edmonton Mandem (EMD) - www.londonstreetgangs.com"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110719072627/http://sites.google.com…
09. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percelle_Ascott#cite_ref-9)Jones, Wil (29 November 2016). ["Interview: How 'Mandem on the Wall' Are Changing British TV"](http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2016/11/mandem-on-the-…
Definitions
Group of male friends; "the lads." From MLE / Black British English.
“TMD also declined during this period, instead splintering off into various independent groups such as NPK (Northumberland Park Killers), Tiverton Mandem, and Chestnut Estate (CE, also known as Black Gang), although some still used the "Tottenham Mandem" name.”
"Out with the mandem tonight."
“agora tchibum pois ontem eu faltei se eu morrer mandem nud”
— Bluesky· May 2026“gente estou andando pelo vale da sombra da morte lutando batalhas espirituais fortissimas dentro da minha propria cabeça por favor mandem coracoes roxos”
— Bluesky· May 2026“TMD also declined during this period, instead splintering off into various independent groups such as NPK (Northumberland Park Killers), Tiverton Mandem, and Chestnut Estate (CE, also known as Black Gang), although some still used the "Tottenham Mandem" name.”
“The Tottenham Mandem (also Tottenham Man Dem, TMD, or Man Dem Crew, formerly known as Frontliners or Tottenham Boys) were an organised street gang based in Tottenham, North London, that began on the Broadwater Farm estate prior to the Broadwater Farm riot in 1985.”
Comments
Show 1 more dictionary-style sense (imported)
A group of men or boys; male friends or fellow gang members.
Mandem is British (especially London) slang for a group of male friends or one's crew. "My mandem" = my guys. Not concerning, just regional vocabulary. If your kid uses it constantly, ask them where they first heard it, not to police their speech but to understand which online community they are in. Most slang of this kind moves through TikTok and group chats, so seeing it in your child's vocabulary just means they are plugged into normal teen internet culture.
Mandem is British English (especially London Multicultural English) slang for a group of male friends or one's crew. Use only in casual British contexts. Formal equivalents: "my friends," "my crew," "the lads." Common non-native mistake: separating into "man" + "dem." Although derived from Caribbean English "man dem," mandem functions as one word in modern British usage. Read or listen to the word in context several times before trying it yourself; the right register is harder to learn than the dictionary meaning.
“10. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joivan_Wade#cite_ref-11)["UK Comedians Mandem on the Wall Talk About Their New Show 'Mandem Live' at the Hackney Empire"](https://trappedmagazine.com/uk-comedians-mandem-wall-talk-comedian-uk-show-mandem-live/). _Trapped Magazine_.”
“006. **[^](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tottenham_Mandem#cite_ref-6 "Jump up")**["Edmonton Firm / Edmonton Mandem (EMD) - www.londonstreetgangs.com"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110719072627/http://sites.google.com/site/londonstreetgangs/gang-lists/north-london-gangs/edmonton-firm-edmonton-mandem).”
“09. [↑](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Percelle_Ascott#cite_ref-9)Jones, Wil (29 November 2016). ["Interview: How 'Mandem on the Wall' Are Changing British TV"](http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2016/11/mandem-on-the-wall-the-weekend-changing-british-tv/). _Complex_.”
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Semantically related
- mandem coded75%
A vibe, aesthetic, behaviour, or person that radiates the specific energy of a tight-knit lads' group — loyal, a bit chaotic, deeply unserious about most things but fiercely serious about the people they care about. Something that's mandem coded has the texture of inside jokes, group chat memes, and unspoken rules that outsiders simply cannot access. It's not exclusive on purpose — it just naturally filters for a certain kind of energy.
- mandem mode74%
The specific headspace you enter when you're with your closest boys — louder, more chaotic, less filtered, and completely unbothered by what anyone outside the group thinks. Mandem mode is when the group chat banter translates to real life and everyone is performing for each other in the best way. Inhibitions drop, jokes get darker, and somehow everything becomes twice as funny. Outsiders often find it baffling. That's the point.
- mandem energy72%
The specific collective vibe that a tight group of guys gives off — equal parts bravado, genuine loyalty, and barely-contained chaos. Mandem energy can be someone who rolls deep, speaks loudly, looks out for their own, and doesn't stress about much. It can also describe a situation: a loud table at a restaurant where everyone's interrupting each other but nobody's actually upset. Warm, boisterous, and oddly comforting if you're part of it.
- lads72%
(Northern England, Geordie, Ireland) A group of friends, regardless of gender. Often the lads.