'Love Island' Lingo Explained: 15 British Slang Words You Need to Know

Love Island UK is back for its first winter series since 2020.

The ITV dating show normally airs once a year and is filmed in Mallorca, Spain, and one South African-based series was aired in January 2020 but, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program has been unable to return since.

Now Love Island has returned for its ninth season, with a 10th set to follow later in 2023.

Host Laura Whitmore has been replaced by Maya Jama, 28, who is an accomplished presenter in the U.K. The beauty used to date musician Stormzy and was engaged to Brooklyn Nets basketball player Ben Simmons, though the pair split in August 2022.

While Love Island has its own US spin-off, as well as an Australian edition, fans in America still love to tune into the British version, though there may be some unfamiliar language used.

Newsweek has everything you need to know about the British words and phrases that fans in the U.S. might not recognize while watching Love Island UK.

Love Island UK Slang Guide

Cracking On

Meaning: Getting to know someone romantically.

Use: "Did you see those two cracking on?"

Putting All My Eggs in One Basket

Meaning: When someone is ready to focus all their romantic attention on one person.

Use: "I've really fallen for them. I'm ready to put all my eggs in one basket."

Pied

Meaning: To be rejected romantically by someone.

Use: "They said they didn't want to see me again. They've just pied me right off."

Mugged Off

Meaning: To be made to look like a fool or idiot, or to be taken advantage of.

Use: "That is so disrespectful. You're mugging me off right now."

Peng

Meaning: Someone who is very attractive.

Use: "They look so peng!"

Sort

Meaning: Someone who is physically attractive.

Use: "What a sort!"

Grafting

Meaning: Working hard to get someone's attention or putting in the work to get to know someone.

Use: "I've been grafting for weeks, and they've agreed to go on a date."

Bird

Meaning: A woman.

Use: "I'm really getting on with that new bird."

The Ick

Meaning: A sudden cringey feeling when someone you have romantic contact with does something that puts you off them.

Use: "They did this thing, and it really gave me the ick. I don't think I can see them again."

Buzzing

Meaning: To be excited or very happy.

Use: "I am buzzing to see where this relationship goes."

Laying It On Factor 50

Meaning: When someone is over the top in showing how much they like another person. In other words, laying it on thick.

Use: "They kept complimenting me. They were really laying it on factor 50."

Doing Bits

Meaning: Getting sexually intimate with someone.

Use: "They were definitely doing bits last night."

Melt

Meaning: Acting soppily or out of character towards someone you like romantically.

Use: "I've totally fallen for them. I'm such a melt."

Gutted

Meaning: To be upset or disappointed.

Use: "They said it's over. I'm absolutely gutted."

My Head Has Turned

Meaning: To lose interest in a romantic partner due to the arrival of someone new.

Use: "I thought we were in such a good place, but now my head has turned."

How to watch Love Island UK in the U.S.

Love Island UK is available to stream on ITV2's website. However, U.S. viewers will need a VPN (virtual private network) to set their location to the U.K. and be able to access the site. Some examples of popular VPN services include ExpressVPN, NordVPN and PureVPN.

Hulu is also expected to be streaming Love Island UK, as it did for the last season, though episodes will not drop on the streaming service until two weeks after their original air date.

Love Island UK continues Sunday to Friday nights. A recap episode also airs on Saturday evenings.