The word ‘ouid’ may seem unfamiliar, and if you have yet to encounter it, you might wonder how to pronounce it. It comes from the French word ‘oui’ with a ‘d’ tacked on the end, so when spoken, it sounds like ‘weed.’
Let’s dig into what ‘ouid’ means, why the word is used, and the history of slang terms for weed.
Ouid is essentially a synonym for weed, and its roots can be traced back to the French word ‘oui,’ which means ‘yes.’ Although it may look peculiar in writing, when spoken aloud, it mirrors the pronunciation of ‘weed’ and makes more sense.
‘Ouid’ also conveys the enthusiasm of indulging in some cannabis with friends.
Unlike terms like ‘mota’ and ‘zip,’ which specify particular quantities of marijuana, ‘ouid’ serves as a versatile catch-all term for cannabis. It’s mainly used when discussing the act of smoking weed and commonly refers to the marijuana bud itself.
Now that you understand the meaning of ‘ouid,’ you might be curious about why people use it. ‘Ouid’ gained popularity on TikTok as a means to avoid using prohibited terms like ‘weed,’ ‘cannabis,’ and ‘marijuana.’
TikTok has strict policies against promoting illegal drugs on its platform, which has led people to be inventive in finding alternative ways to discuss these topics. To prevent your videos from being taken down or facing a ban on the platform, you need to be mindful of the language you use.
TikTok’s content guidelines have sparked controversy, as some view the list of banned words as censorship.
However, it’s important to note that weed remains illegal in many regions. So while cannabis itself is not a harmful substance, TikTok must establish consistent rules regarding permissible content. Allowing certain illegal content can create significant challenges in determining where to draw the line.
The term ‘ouid’ is not the first time slang has been used to hide behavior from authorities, and it will not be the last. 420, one of the most iconic ways to reference weed, started as a code word.
The origin of 420 goes back to 1971 when friends used to meet up at 4:20 p.m. after school to smoke. 420 became shorthand for a smoke sesh, and the phrase has spread like wildfire.
Because of this, celebrations happen on April 20 (4/20) around the world. People come together to celebrate weed while also pushing for legalization.
As we know, slang terms evolve, as does language. Even something as simple as the word “goodbye” originates from the phrase “God be with you,” then shortened to “God b’ w’ ye.” The term kept getting shorter, and now it is its own word.
Since ‘ouid’ was used as a tool to avoid TikTok’s content filters, it is also evolving. When ‘ouid’ became widespread enough, social media companies realized what it meant and added it to a list of banned words.
Now, you will also see variations of ‘ouid,’ like ‘oui’d’ and ‘ouide,’ that carry the same message but are different enough not to be flagged (yet).
Another area of interest in evolving slang is emojis – you’ve probably seen the two leaves blowing emoji as a stand-in for weed. New generations will always produce new nicknames and slang terms so it’s simply a case of keeping up with them.
Cannabis has garnered a whopping 1200+ slang names, with their popularity coming and going in waves. The term ‘marijuana’ traces its roots to the Spanish words ‘mariguana’ or ‘marihuana’ and gained traction in the 1930s.
‘Weed’ is a name that also dates to the 1930s, but it rose to popularity in the 1990s and has long been the preferred term. One reason the name ‘weed’ became so popular is that people wanted to move away from older terms like ‘dope’ and ‘pot’.
In more recent times, we’ve witnessed the rise of phrases like ‘medical marijuana.’ Yet, as each new generation seeks to create its unique slang, we can anticipate a slew of fresh terms cropping up.
Now, let’s explore some of our favorite slang terms for cannabis, both timeless classics and some newer expressions.
The DEA has a list of drug slang names, and a 2017 Time Magazine article looked at the multitude of slang words, and there were some unusual ones:
Different cultures have their terminology for weed, and the internet helps to spread those terms across cultures.
Whether you want to call it ‘marijuana,’ ‘reefer,’ ‘ouid,’ or one of its many other names, the most important thing is knowing where to get high-quality cannabis. And that is easier than ever with Embarc’s selection of world-class dispensaries. Pop into your closest Embarc store today for a wide variety of quality cannabis products.
