IIT Bombay Lingo

S No:

Word Used

Its Explanation (to very limited extent)

1

AA

The coveted academic grade.

2

Aax (not in use)

The "..aax" extension is a typical IITBism, used in any context whatsoever, from peaceaax to scopeax to nabdaax. It has no independent existence of it's own, but is always bonded to another word. iski jagah ajkal maxx use karte hain... eg: infimaxxx, nbdmaxx, poltumaxx…

3

Giri

Used as a suffix to several slangs in IIT, it denotes the act of being like the person/thing/characteristic described by the slang. eg. ghodagiri (previous entry), dnotgiri etc.

4

App

Stands for application, in simplistic terms is an attempt for getting a schol. To app is to quit Des for greener pastures (!) to the west of the atlantic. Every iitian worth his CPI or otherwise can app. Apping is a long drawn process beginning the summer of the penultimate year of your stay on campus (note it's not the third year always; as some of you might extrapolate) and culminating in maybe a schol towards the end of your final year. The steps involved are beyond the scope of this compilation and merits a page on its own.

5

Arbit

An abbreviation of "arbitrary", it is a very flexible word. Basically, it is used to describe something/someone that is weird/strange/not the way it should be. eg. "That guy does arbit things" or "He's an arbit guy" implies that the person being referred to is a bit on the strange side.

6

Avoid

Besides it's dictionary meaning, this word is also used in an admonitory tone, with people shouting it whenever they get irritated. eg. If someone is watching TV and someone else turns up the radio, then the standard reply is "Avoid, boss!!". If that fails to work, then "* [at] #$%^" are always there. However, due to extreme overuse these words have lost their cutting edge and are no longer taken seriously.

7

Babe

An exalted term meaning girl, and a highly endangered species in IIT schol.

8

Booze

Spiritual sustenance for the Al, especially after the midsems, endsems, actually, anytime.

9

Boss

A word used (1) while talking to someone who's name one doesn't know or (2) while talking to someone who's name one does know. In that context, however, it is of no particular significance, a bit like the human appendix without it's attendant problems.

10

BRA

IIT Bombay Rock Association

11

Breaker

Slang for "breakfast", the most important meal of the day, beacuse it was the only one that was even remotely edible. The quality of the tea varied, however, from good to detergent-flavoured.

12

Bumps

A treat given to someone on his Birthday, when the concerned person is lifted in the air and his rear end is subjected to a series of kicks. Bumps are also a standard punishment for anyone who pains people too much with bad jokes/comments.

13

Bunk

(orig. lectures) Cut lectures and do what you would have done in the first place….crash!

14

Cack (not in use)

A short version of the word "cacophony", it signifies the act of verbal communication, viz. talking. To cack is to talk ( academic discussions do not qualify ). A group of people talking is having a "cack session".

15

Chamkaa

The literal meaning of this word is "lit up" or "glowed", but in the IITian context, it is used to indicate an understanding of something that has been just explained/said/described to you. This use probably arose from the popular cartoon image of a bulb lighting up in a person's head when he/she got an idea.