phat

Phat is a slang adjective meaning excellent, cool, or impressive. It is used to describe music, fashion, performances, objects, or people. The term is associated with urban and hip-hop culture and gained prominence in the United States during the 1990s and into the 2000s, though it continues to appear in contemporary speech, especially among certain communities and media that reference retro or nostalgic slang.

The precise origin is uncertain. It is often linked to African American Vernacular English and to the broader English slang expansion of "fat" as an intensifier. A widely circulated, but unverified, backronym suggests "pretty hot and tempting," and variations such as "pretty, hot and tempting" or "pretty, happy and tempting." Linguists generally treat these as folk etymology rather than established history.

Phat functions as an attributive adjective (phat beat, phat ride) or as a predicative phrase (the performance was phat). The noun form "phatness" exists but is uncommon. The term is informal and may be considered dated or regionally marked in some communities; it is less appropriate in formal writing and in contexts seeking neutral or professional tone.

Phat sits among a family of slang terms used to signal high quality or enthusiasm, such as dope, tight, sick, or fresh. It reflects a moment in hip-hop culture when linguistic play and novelty conveyed status and credibility. In contemporary media, phat is more likely to be used for stylistic effect or nostalgia rather than as everyday speech.