Shawty (slang)
Encyclopedia
In hip-hop slang, the word shorty or shawty (the latter of which is derived from the Southern United States pronunciation), has multiple meanings. In the 1980s and 1990s, the word meant "newcomer", particularly a newcomer to rap music or to certain aspects of street life or gang life
. It also simply referred to someone who was younger and greener than the speaker. More recently, however, the term has evolved to also mean a woman, especially an attractive woman. This more recent usage has been popularized by modern pop
-influenced rap music.
Shawty in slang can also refer to a young and attractive woman who is short. This is one of the reasons it sounds like the word 'shorty'
Gangs in the United States
Street gangs in the United States date to the early 19th century. The most publicized street gangs in the U.S. are African-American; black gangs were not recognized as a social problem until after the great migration of the 1910s...
. It also simply referred to someone who was younger and greener than the speaker. More recently, however, the term has evolved to also mean a woman, especially an attractive woman. This more recent usage has been popularized by modern pop
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
-influenced rap music.
Shawty in slang can also refer to a young and attractive woman who is short. This is one of the reasons it sounds like the word 'shorty'