slang
: someone or something that is an original or originator and especially one that is highly respected or regarded
The Nashville Tennessean recently tweeted, "What does the owner of Prince's think about all these hot-chicken imitators?" One Prince's fan replied, "… Prince's is the OG. And that's that on that."— "… We had veterans [in that cast]. … I learned so much from watching them. They are the OG's of this theatre game."— When it came time to tackle the recipe, I had two options—keep it classic … or embrace Lizzo's updated version. … I decided to go with the O.G.— And indeed, mead dates back over 3,000 years, making it a real OG of the alcoholic beverage scene.— … Snoop unveiled the official track list for [the album] Neva Left, bringing OG rappers and hip-hop's new guard together to celebrate his career.— … this time … [singer-songwriter Christina] Aguilera came across as a Broadway-style diva in the O.G. mode of Barbra Streisand …— "… And we have really tried to keep it authentically like the O.G. Punky [Brewster, television sitcom], and it's still got spunk … but it also has the realness and authenticity of the original. …"—
Paige WilliamsJoshua HenryFlorence O'ConnorTaylor TobinNerisha PenroseRolling StoneSoleil Moon Frye
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Original Gangster
Note: According to an essay by Steve Champion and Anthony Ross, former members of the Crips street gang in Los Angeles, the initialism O.G. was first used by the Crips in the early 1970's; see Champion and Ross, "The Making of an O.G.: Transcending Gang Mentality," written in 2006 and available on the website indybay.org as of 7/12/21. The release of the album O.G. Original Gangster by the rapper Ice-T (Tracy Lauren Morrow) in 1991 likely contributed to the migration of the word from gang culture to more general use.
First Known Use
Noun
circa 1991, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of OG was circa 1991
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Cite this Entry
“OG.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https:///dictionary/OG. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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