Rad

What is rad short for?

Radical

Something that is rad, or "radical," is incredibly cool or impressive. Radical gained this additional meaning in the 1960s, thanks to American surfers.

American surfers use rad and radical to compliment other surfers who have just performed an amazing or "revolutionary" feat. This use of rad expanded beyond surfers in the 1990s, thanks in part to kewl kids who grew up watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon.

Example

That video was rad, man! When did you shoot it?

You wish you were this cool

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Updated September 29, 2021

rad definition by Slang.net

This page explains what the abbreviation "rad" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the Slang.net team.

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