Slangora

noughties

(chiefly, UK, sometimes, capitalized) The decade consisting of the last year of the previous century and the first nine years of the next: from 1900 to 1909, 2000 to 2009, etc.

ˈnɔːtizhistoricalCurrent177 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
🇬🇧 British & Irish slang
1 definition
Community
Seen in the wild
3 citations · last seen May 2026

Seen in the wild

Definitions

UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK

(chiefly, UK, sometimes, capitalized) The decade consisting of the last year of the previous century and the first nine years of the next: from 1900 to 1909, 2000 to 2009, etc.

Origin: From , in imitation of the names of other decades (twenties, thirties, etc). Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

"noughties" means: The decade consisting of the last year of the previous century and the first nine years of the next: from 1900 to 1909, 2000 to 2009, etc.. 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

"noughties" means: The decade consisting of the last year of the previous century and the first nine years of the next: from 1900 to 1909, 2000 to 2009, etc.. Register: neutral, standard English, usable in most everyday contexts. Note the regional or dialect label (UK) — usage may sound odd outside that variety. 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

Heard in the wild
  • “Mine is thus: there has been no legitimately good horror movie since the noughties, with the exception of 28 years later (I've yet to see part 2) P.s. There have been plenty of good horror series. The distinction is small, but relevant”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “I feel like we jumped from mass ‘80s nostalgia to mass noughties nostalgia without stopping to enjoy the correct thing (mass ‘90s nostalgia)”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
  • “OH RIGHT, I forgot about those absurd Noughties phone texting rates…”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
Was this helpful?

Comments

For specific readers

"noughties" means: The decade consisting of the last year of the previous century and the first nine years of the next: from 1900 to 1909, 2000 to 2009, etc.. 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.

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.

Used in

UK

Have a better definition?

Add your own interpretation of "noughties".

Add definition

🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang

UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.

See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.

Tags

Other words near "noughties" (N)

Browse all slang words starting with N.

Related terms

People also read

Semantically related