Words That Mean Completely Different Things in Different States

The continental United States lies between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The states of  Alaska and Hawaii, the last two to join the Union, are not contiguous with the rest of the country. Given the great distances and regional differences, there is bound to be some linguistic variance regarding certain words that refer to the same thing. 

To assemble a list of words that have different names in different states, 24/7 Tempo consulted sources such as MIC and the blog LifeHack, as well several media sites. This list is by no means comprehensive and is intended to give the reader a sense of the linguistic variety in the United States. We exercised editorial discretion in compiling the list to determine what words were particular to a state or region.

Word variations are prevalent in food, roadways, and other surroundings.

They call the fish crawdads and crayfish in the Midwest, California, and Oregon, and they are called crawfish in the South. Dressing is put on salads, but in the South, it’s what they call stuffing. They’re green bell peppers in most of the country, but on menus in the Midwest, they’re mangoes. 

It’s a traffic circle in much of the U.S., but it’s known as a rotary in New England and a roundabout in the West and the South. They are called highways in most of America, but in California, they are freeways. While on the road, you pull in to to park at a liquor store to pick up a six-pack of beer, but it’s called a package store in Pennsylvania. On the same journey, you might stop at a parlor, known as a small shop in most of the U.S. In the mid-Atlantic states, though, a parlor is a room in an older house. (Also See Things They Say in New England That the Rest of Us Probably Don’t Get.)

Fireflies that are alight at night in the summer on the West Coast and New Jersey are called lightning bugs in other parts of the East Coast.

One phrase that is shedding its regional trappings is y’all, an address to more than one person. It’s been closely associated with the South, but is finding its way into conversations in other parts of the country.

Crawdads and crayfish

• Common in: Midwest, California, Oregon
• Meaning in another region: Crawfish (South)

Soda

• Common in: Northeast and West
• Meaning in another region: Pop/Coke (Midwest/South)

Submarine sandwiches

• Common in: New Jersey, Connecticut
• Meaning in another region: Heroes/grinders/hoagies (New York City/New England/Pennsylvania)

Dressing in salads

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Stuffing (South)

Liquor store

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Package store (Pennsylvania)

Pancakes

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Flapjacks (North Carolina)

Eggs poached

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Eggs dropped (New England)

Drinking fountain

• Common in: North and West
• Meaning in another region: Bubblers (Wisconsin, Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts)

Sprinkles

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Jimmies (New England)

Green bell peppers

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Mangoes (Midwest)

Peach pit

• Common in: Northeast/West
• Meaning in another region: Kernel/Seed (South/Everywhere except Northeast)

Lollipop

• Common in: Northeast
• Meaning in another region: Sucker (South and Midwest)

Heel of loaf of bread

• Common in: Much of US
• Meaning in another region: End/crust/butt (New England and parts of the Midwest and Southeast)

Potluck dinner

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Carry-in dinner (Midwest)

You guys

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Y’all (South, gaining in other regions)

Soak as in absorb

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Soak as in someone who drinks too much (South Dakota)

Remote control

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Clicker (New England)

Faucet

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Spigot (South)

Fixing

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Getting ready to do something (South)

Highways

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Freeways (West Coast)

Wicked

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Cool or great (Massachusetts)

Parlor-small shop

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Parlor-room in a house (Mid-Atlantic states)

Wallet

• Common in: Most of US
• Meaning in another region: Billfold (South)