Etymology Late Middle English, originally a verb of uncertain etymology. Perhaps of imitative origin, or possibly from Old French esclachier (“to break in pieces”), a variant of esclater, which is likely a Germanic borrowing, from Frankish *slaitan (“to slit, tear”). Used in the Wycliffe Bible as slascht (see 1 Kings 5:18) but otherwise unattested until 16th century. Conjunctive use from various applications of the punctuation mark ⟨/⟩. See also slash fiction.
A swift, broad cutting stroke, especially one made with an edged weapon or whip.
A slash of his blade just missed my ear.
2
Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports A wide striking motion made with an implement such as a cricket bat, hockey stick, or lacrosse stick.
He took a wild slash at the ball but the captain saved the team's skin by hacking it clear and setting up the team for a strike on the goal.
3
Figuratively A sharp reduction in resources allotted.
After the war ended, the army saw a 50% slash in their operating budget.
› A mark made by slashing:
4
A deep cut or laceration, as made by an edged weapon or whip.
He was bleeding from a slash across his cheek.
5
Biology, Botany, Natural sciences A deep taper-pointed incision in a plant.
› Something resembling such a mark:
6
Fashion, Lifestyle A slit in an outer garment, usually exposing a lining or inner garment of a contrasting color or design.
7
Canada, US A clearing in a forest, particularly one made by logging, fire, or other violent action.
We passed over the shoulder of a ridge and around the edge of a fire slash, and then we had the mountain fairly before us.1895, Henry Van Dyke, Little Rivers: A Book of Essays in Profitable Idleness:
Initial inquiries among professional typists uncover names like slant, slant line, slash, and slash mark. Examination of typing instruction manuals discloses additional names such as diagonal and diagonal mark, and other sources provide the designation oblique.1965, Dmitri A. Borgmann, Language on Vacation, page 240:
› Something resembling such a mark: › The slash mark: the punctuation mark ⟨/⟩.
Canada, US The loose woody debris remaining from a slash; the trimmings left while preparing felled trees for removal.
Slash generated during logging may constitute a fire hazard.
13
Obsolete A wet or swampy place overgrown with bushes
14
LifestyleSlang Slash fiction; fan fiction focused on homoerotic pairing of fictional characters.
Comments merely allow readers to proclaim themselves mortally offended by the content of a story, despite having been warned in large block letters of INCEST or SLASH (any kind of sex between two men or two women: the term originated with the Kirk/Spock pairing – it described the literal slash between their names).2013, Katherine Arcement, “Diary”, in London Review of Books, volume 35, number 5:
Etymology Late Middle English, originally a verb of uncertain etymology. Perhaps of imitative origin, or possibly from Old French esclachier (“to break in pieces”), a variant of esclater, which is likely a Germanic borrowing, from Frankish *slaitan (“to slit, tear”). Used in the Wycliffe Bible as slascht (see 1 Kings 5:18) but otherwise unattested until 16th century. Conjunctive use from various applications of the punctuation mark ⟨/⟩. See also slash fiction.
Having read slash for other fandoms (mainly X-Files and Sentinel), I can say the whole gay issue gets dealt with more often in that slash than it does in Trek slash. That's not to say that all the slashers who slash in a "modern-era" show deal with AIDS, homophobia and other gay issues, but some of them do.1997 December 17, ASCEM, quoting Ruth Gifford, “Re: An Interesting Question, re Slash vs. Gay Fiction”, in alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated (Usenet):
Etymology Late Middle English, originally a verb of uncertain etymology. Perhaps of imitative origin, or possibly from Old French esclachier (“to break in pieces”), a variant of esclater, which is likely a Germanic borrowing, from Frankish *slaitan (“to slit, tear”). Used in the Wycliffe Bible as slascht (see 1 Kings 5:18) but otherwise unattested until 16th century. Conjunctive use from various applications of the punctuation mark ⟨/⟩. See also slash fiction.
1
Used to note the sound or action of a slash.
slash
conj
Etymology Late Middle English, originally a verb of uncertain etymology. Perhaps of imitative origin, or possibly from Old French esclachier (“to break in pieces”), a variant of esclater, which is likely a Germanic borrowing, from Frankish *slaitan (“to slit, tear”). Used in the Wycliffe Bible as slascht (see 1 Kings 5:18) but otherwise unattested until 16th century. Conjunctive use from various applications of the punctuation mark ⟨/⟩. See also slash fiction.
1
Canada, US Used to connect two or more identities in a list.
Saul Hudson is a famous musician/songwriter.
What this, the Slashie, means is that you consider me the best actor slash model and not the other way around.2001, Drake Sather, Ben Stiller, John Hamburg, Zoolander, spoken by Fabio Lanzoni:
2 more examples
“It’s been a joke-slash-tragedy,” the restaurant host, 29, said of the president’s tumultuous far-right administration as she cast her vote against him in her country’s most important election in decades.2022 October 2, Tom Phillips, “‘A day of hope’: Lula fans eager to see Bolsonaro defeated”, in The Guardian:
“Maybe the problem is that you’re a romantic,” says my former lover-slash-friend-slash-male-sensitivity-reader. “And maybe so are the other fatalists.”2025 July 21, Jean Garnett, “The Trouble With Wanting Men”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 21 Jul 2025:
Alternatives can be marked by the slash/stroke/solidus punctuation mark, a tall, right-slanting oblique line. Read: Alternatives can be marked by the slash-slash-stroke-slash-solidus punctuation mark, a tall, right-slanting oblique line.
If you can slash in my bed (I thought) don't tell me you can't suck my cock.1973, Martin Amis, The Rachel Papers,, page 189:
slash
noun
Etymology Uncertain. Compare British dialectal slashy (“wet and dirty, miry”) and Scots slash (“act of walking forcefully through water or mud”) and slatch (“wet and muddy place, mire”). Perhaps related to Swedish slask (“slush”). Compare also slash (“clearing in a forest”): in many cases it is difficult to tell whether that sense or this one is meant. (Also compare flash (“a marsh; a pool of water”).)
On the North side of one of ye Windings of a great Slash or Swamp called ye Roundabout.1687, Colonial Virginia Patents 7, page 590, quoted in 1940, George Davis McJimsey, Topographic Terms in Virginia, page 120
three acres one Rood and Six pole of Land … Extending Northward along the Ditch thirty six poles and two fifths of a pole to a slash called Pitch and Tar Slash or Swamp[,] then along that Slash till it come to the Main Cart road westward …1694, Edmond Andros, Isabella Mackland, colonial Virginia record (granting land to Robert Beverly), quoted in 1988, Beverley Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, page 318
4 more examples
720 acres "lying in the Forrest between Rappahannock and Mattapony river". Adjoins Goldman's land, the line of Robins by and old Indian path in a slash, the land of Majr Robert Beverley, deceased.1694 October 26, colonial Virginia record (regarding Capt. Richard Halle of the County of Essex)m quoted in 1988, Beverley Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, page 406
Thence . . . to two small pines by a Slash or Sunken ground. . . . Thence . . . to two white oaks by a slash in lowground.1714, Colonial Virginia Patents 10, pages 153, 168, quoted in 1940, George Davis McJimsey, Topographic Terms in Virginia, page 121
Beginning at the North side of a Slash incomposeing Long …1715, Colonial Virginia Patents 10, 247, quoted in 1940, George Davis McJimsey, Topographic Terms in Virginia, page 121
80 acres in Amelia Co., in the fork betw Persimmon Slash and the Gulley[.]1747 September, John Garrott, Virginia deed (of Amelia County, Deed Book 2, page 542) quoted in 1988, Beverley Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, page 459
2
Eastern, US, Uncommon A slash pine, which grows in such (swampy) areas.
[…] second growth long-leaf yellow slash. And also we have a short-leaf pine.1932, Mr. Yon, statement regarding a waterway from Choctawhatchee Bay to West Bay, Florida, printed in the Hearings of the United States House Committee on Rivers and Harbors (1932), page 8
Slash pine (Pinus caribaea Morelet) / Slash pine is also known as yellow slash, swamp pine, hill slash, and Cuban pine.][1935, Miscellaneous Publication, issue 209, page 15
3
Scotland A large quantity of watery food such as broth.
slash
verb
Etymology Uncertain. Compare British dialectal slashy (“wet and dirty, miry”) and Scots slash (“act of walking forcefully through water or mud”) and slatch (“wet and muddy place, mire”). Perhaps related to Swedish slask (“slush”). Compare also slash (“clearing in a forest”): in many cases it is difficult to tell whether that sense or this one is meant. (Also compare flash (“a marsh; a pool of water”).)