What does"mid" mean on TikTok? Meaning of viral slang explained as netizens leave term in comment sections 

TikTok and Twitter are infamous for being breeding grounds for innumerable internet slang terms, with one such word being "mid." These slang terms, popularly dubbed as GenZ speak, are an integral part of the social media sub-culture now.

But sometimes, even GenZ is left perplexed momentarily when new slang terms crop up. That is, until they learn the meaning of the word and its appropriate usage, and then it's only a matter of time before it becomes a regular in their vocabulary.

The viral slang "mid" has been making the rounds on the short-video platform and is almost inescapable. You'll see it in videos, in captions, or most commonly, in the comments section. But what on earth does "mid" even mean?

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The meaning and origin of the word "mid"

If you haven't guessed already, mid has a slight negative connotation to it even though its definition might have you think otherwise. The most commonly accepted definition of the word is mediocre or mid-tier — something that isn't the worst, but not all that great either. Hence, mid.

However, Urban Dictionary manages to capture the true essence of the word much better, and of course, with its insulting undertones.

According to Urban Dictionary, the slang is:

"Used to insult or degrade an opposing opinion, labeling it as average or poor quality."

The slang became popularized thanks to a viral TikTok audio that began circulating on the app in September 2021. It originated from an All Elite Wrestling clip where AEW fighter Maxwell Jacob Friedman disses a Cincinnati, Ohio crowd by insulting the entirety of the American Midwest.

He screams into the mic,

“It’s called the Midwest because every single thing in it is MID. Skyline Chili? Mid! Your Cincinnati Reds who haven’t won a World Series since 1990? Muh-muh-muh-mid! And every single person who lives here ... is ... MID.”

AEW's TikTok has garnered 2.6 million views and 425.3k likes since being posted in late October 2021.

The most widely used iteration of this audio is a high-pitched, sped-up version of the rant, with the added finishing touches of accompanying sound effects. The sound already has over 200k videos under it, while #mid has amassed a whopping 1.2 billion views.

The context the term was originally used in already set the tone for its current usage right now. It seems like a lazy diss at best, used when someone cannot be bothered to think up a more creative insult or critique to something.

People have even used the term to degrade others' physical appearances, at which point it just comes across as condescending and insensitive.

It's often tossed out with minimal explanation too, as popularly seen on both TikTok and Twitter.

Though the term's alleged neutrality is highly debatable, it has undoubtedly wormed its way into several TikTok and Twitter users' regular vocabulary already. When it's not directed at strangers or trying to undermine someone else's genuine efforts, maybe its usage can be given a pass.