15 Essential Nashville Slang Words and Phrases to Learn

With its vibrant culture and deep-rooted history, Nashville has developed its own unique slang. While the city is renowned for its hospitality, understanding the local lingo will enhance your experience. Here are 15 key terms to help you blend in.

1. Spicy Fried Chicken

Hot chicken stands out as Nashville's signature dish in a city celebrated for its Southern cuisine. Its origins trace back to the 1930s when Thornton Prince's girlfriend, aiming to teach him a lesson, served him fried chicken drenched in fiery cayenne pepper and chili powder. To her surprise, Prince adored it, leading to the creation of Prince’s Hot Chicken. As Rachel Louise Martin highlights in her cultural exploration of the dish, hot chicken was primarily cherished by Nashville's Black community for years. It wasn’t until its showcase at a 2007 food festival that the dish gained widespread popularity across the city.

2. Rare Gem

In Nashville, the word unicorn refers to something extraordinary or one-of-a-kind. Specifically, it’s used to describe a rare local resident: someone who was genuinely born in Nashville.

3. The Iconic Batman Building

The Batman Building is the affectionate nickname for the AT&T Tower, the tallest structure in Tennessee and a standout feature of Nashville’s skyline. Despite its striking resemblance to Batman’s cowl, the architect insists the 617-foot, 33-story design was unintentional—it simply turned out that way.

4. The Sacred Mother Church

Known as the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium is Nashville’s most cherished performance venue. Hosting the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974, the Ryman’s legacy extends beyond country music. Legends like Susan B. Anthony, Booker T. Washington, Sarah Bernhardt, Theodore Roosevelt, Helen Keller, Anna Pavlova, Charlie Chaplin, Harry Houdini, Marian Anderson, Katherine Hepburn, and Jackie Robinson have all graced its historic stage.

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5. The Predators

While Tennessee may not be synonymous with hockey, the Nashville Predators—affectionately called the Preds by locals—boast one of the NHL’s most passionate fanbases. Known for their Southern hospitality, Nashvillians transform into fierce supporters when the Preds hit the ice. Fans express their loyalty through intense and spirited chants, such as “He shoots! He scores! You suck!” and “We’re going to beat the hell out of you!” (The latter is sung to the tune of the Black Keys’s “Gold on the Ceiling,” a nod to the band’s Nashville roots.)

6. Smashville

While Loretta Lynn invited her rivals to explore “Fist City,” the Predators take their opponents straight to Smashville. This term often refers to the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville, the team’s home ground. However, it can also mean any place where the Predators hit the ice and face off against their competitors.

7. Honky-Tonk

The term honky-tonk can function as both a noun and a verb. As a noun, it describes a lively music venue with plenty of drinks, and Nashville is famous for its abundance of such spots. A section of Lower Broadway, the city’s main strip, is even nicknamed “Honky-tonk Highway.”

Honky-tonkin’ refers to the tradition of hopping from one honky-tonk to another. While country music dominates these venues, you’ll also find rock, blues, and jazz performances. Most honky-tonks don’t charge an entry fee, but tipping the musicians is expected, so carrying cash is a must.

8. Holler and Swaller

Spend a few minutes in a Nashville honky-tonk, and you’ll likely hear someone yell, “Time for a holler and a swaller!” This phrase signals everyone to shout something loud and take a shot. Consider it Nashville’s version of a toast.

9. Meat-and-Three

A meat-and-three is a Southern-style eatery where the main dish is a hearty portion of meat paired with three sides. While popular across the South, Nashville is celebrated as the heart of this tradition. The concept dates back to at least 1946, when Hap Townes and his son transformed their pie wagon into a plate-lunch diner. If you’re visiting from outside the South, resist pointing out the humor of mac and cheese being listed under “vegetables”—your server has definitely heard it before.

10. Gherm

In Nashville, where music is a way of life, you’ll come across unique industry slang. According to the 2017 book Understanding Society through Popular Music, a gherm is someone who awkwardly forces themselves into networking situations within the music industry. If you’ve ever name-dropped excessively, lavished over-the-top compliments on a musician, or interrupted Tim McGraw during his meal to pitch your song, you might just be a gherm.

11. Fix/Fixin’ To

These two terms sound alike but have entirely different meanings. Fix is a Southern expression for preparing something, often food or a drink, while fixin’ to means you’re about to start doing something. In Nashville, saying “I’m fixin’ to fix dinner” makes perfect sense.

12. Bless Your Heart

This phrase can be used in multiple ways. When addressing someone directly, it often conveys sympathy for their troubles. However, when used in the third person, it can be a subtle insult—or a warning that one is coming.

13. Y’all/You’uns

In Nashville, the proper way to address a group is y’all, a contraction of you all. It’s far more polished than its rustic counterpart, you’uns. Plus, y’all has a smoother possessive form: Y’all’s sounds much better than You’uns’s.

14. Bach Party/The Bach Industry

Nashville has emerged as a top destination for bachelorette parties, surpassing even Las Vegas by some accounts. The city’s thriving bach industry includes everything from trendy hair salons to pedal taverns. While business owners benefit greatly, locals generally tolerate the influx of bach parties, even when they overcrowd brunch spots or queue for hours at iconic murals.

15. Spiced Round

The spiced round is Nashville’s quirky addition to holiday meats, sometimes referred to as a “Nashville round” elsewhere. While not as elaborate as turducken, it’s uniquely decadent—imagine 40,000 pounds of beef injected with cinnamon-sugar pork fat, a creation introduced by a Nashville company in 1948 during its peak. Though its popularity waned with the rise of large meatpacking plants and health concerns, a few specialty butchers are reviving this tradition. If you’re adventurous and have 20 pounds of beef, two pounds of suet, and 17 days, you can attempt to make your own.