Utah is an amazing place to live, and we even have our very own language! People outside of Utah just don’t understand. I mean literally… sometimes they have absolutely no clue what we’re talking about. Case in point: here are 20 words you’ll only understand if you’re from Utah.

1. Powder
Tom Kelly/flikr
No -- we're not talking about that kind of illicit powder. In Utah, powder is addictive, to be sure, because it's our incredible snow. And we love our snow and winter recreation!
2. Sluffing
Nathan Maken/flikr
If Ferris Bueller had been a student in a Utah high school, he'd have been sluffing when he skipped an entire day's worth of classes.
3. Ward
arbyreed/flikr
A "ward" in Utah is not part of a hospital or prison. It's a congregation of Mormons.
4. Stake House
arbyreed/flikr
Sounds mouth-watering when you say it... but it's really just a larger Mormon church where several smaller congregations gather. Sadly, there's not a ribeye or T-bone to be found.
5. Fetch
Christine und David Schmitt/flikr
Yes, Rover will go get that stick for you. If you're in Utah, you're probably not playing with your dog. It's the polite way of saying that word that rhymes with "duck" when you're exasperated!
6. Epic
epicbeer/flikr
There's epic poems, epic events, and coolness of epic proportions. And, in Utah, there's Epic beer. It's, well, epic.
7. Holy War
the_robio/flikr
Brings to mind the Crusades or the ongoing Middle East conflict, right? In Utah, it's a football game. University of Utah vs. BYU -- a private religious university. During Holy War week, friendships are tested and people sporting either red or blue shirts are identifying their allegiances much like the Crips and Bloods.
8. Fry sauce
Jack Black's Stunt Double/flikr
It's like ketchup, but mixed with mayonnaise and sometimes pickle relish. It's a total Utah delicacy!
9. Iceberg
johnrhopkins/flikr
An old-fashioned drive in restaurant with the best shakes in the state. (And yes, they have fry sauce, too.)
10. Solitude
newsrover/flikr
Ah... Walden Pond and quiet reflection. Not in Utah! Grab your snowboard or skis and barrel down the runs at Solitude Ski Resort. And if it's a powder day, there's no way you'll find yourself alone -- every powder hound in the state will join you on the mountain.

Related Stories

The Magnificent Waterfront Airbnb In Utah That Is Perfect For A Spring Retreat

The Magnificent Waterfront Airbnb In Utah That Is Perfect For A Spring Retreat

 This Multi-Day River Rafting Adventure Through Red Rocks Belongs On Your Utah Bucket List

This Multi-Day River Rafting Adventure Through Red Rocks Belongs On Your Utah Bucket List

 I Crossed Two Trails Off Of My Hiking Bucket List And They Were Totally Worth The Hype

I Crossed Two Trails Off Of My Hiking Bucket List And They Were Totally Worth The Hype
11. Elder
Peretz Partensky/Flickr
This misleading term isn't the same as elderly. An elder is a young Mormon boy, getting ready for his mission call. He doesn't have much life experience yet; he just graduated from high school.
12. Slots
Andreina Schoeberlein/flikr
In Utah, "slots" are "canyons," not gaming machines. It costs a lot less money to do the slots in Utah than it does in Vegas! And we think it's a lot more fun, too.
13. Primary
J. Stephen Conn/flikr
Not a group of colors or the first in a series. In Utah, Primary is the Mormon version of children's Sunday School. Cute, right?
14. Crown
Anna C. Brandão Alves/flikr
Prince William would love the delicious burgers and fries at Crown Burger. In Utah, "Wanna grab some Crown?" is a lunch invitation. (Add an order of fries and fry sauce, and you're living peak Utah.)
15. Cougar
Ken Lund/flikr
Not a big cat, or a reference to The Graduate, In Provo, a Cougar is a BYU student, alumnus or fan.
16. Lagoon
Edgar Zuniga Jr./Flickr
Lagoon is Utah's ultimate amusement park. Roller coasters, snack food, and a water park make this one of the best attractions in The Beehive State.
17. Boarding
Brian Governale/flikr
No -- not skateboarding. When someone in Utah says he's going boarding, he can only mean that he's sluffing class to hit the powder!
18. Dixie
Carl Berger/flikr
Utah has its own Deep South. Soon after Mormons settled in Utah, they tried growing cotton in St. George and the nickname stuck.
19. Inversion
Garrett/Flickr
No, things are not upside-down. Because Salt Lake City is surrounded by mountains, pollution gets trapped in the valley. When there's an inversion, sadly, it means that you can’t breathe.
20. Conference
Jerry and Pat Donaho/flikr
It’s not other teams your city plays against. It’s a large gathering of Mormons to hear church leaders sermonize and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing.

Utah folks: do you agree with these words you’ll only understand if you’re from Utah? Non-local folks: how many of these Utah sayings did you already know? For more weird and wonderful things in The Beehive State, you’ll definitely want to check out these bizarre attractions and hidden gems.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Words You'll Only Understand If You're From Utah

Sarah | February 22, 2021

What's it like living in Utah?

Living in Utah is a unique experience – our state is definitely like no other. Utah has the most beautiful scenery in the world, but that’s not all. Our state is full of unparalleled outdoor recreation, to be sure, but we also have a thriving (and accessible) arts community, low crime rate, epic food scene (two words: fry sauce), and some of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

What are some weird places in Utah?

If you're looking for a quirky adventure in The Beehive State, you have a lot of options. Utah is a beautiful state, but some of it is just kind of… weird. For starters, there's Gilgal Garden, a weird sculpture garden in Salt Lake City that has a sphinx statue with the head of Joseph Smith. Homestead Crater in Midway is the only warm water scuba diving destination in the continental U.S. The geothermal spring created a 65-foot-deep pool, which is hidden below a 55-foot, dome-shaped crater. The Homestead resort created a tunnel into the crater so guests can swim, scuba dive or just enjoy the warm 90-degree sauna-like atmosphere. It's a weird and wonderful natural wonder. Devil's Slide is another weird roadside attraction in Utah; these two parallel limestone slabs look so perfectly placed that it’s hard to believe they weren’t created by humans. The sides of Devil’s Slide rise about 40 feet from the mountain, and the space in between is about 25 feet wide.

Why is Utah called The Beehive State?

Contrary to how it sounds, Utah isn't actually named after these fuzzy yellow pollinators. Utah's nickname is The Beehive State, and it has nothing to do with the insect! Utah's state nickname is actually due to its original title of “State of Deseret” -- "deseret" meaning "honeybee" in the Book of Mormon. But there is an indirect correlation between Utah's state nickname and the industrious little insects, as Utah's state motto is "industry," which ties back to Utah's early settler roots.

Related Articles

Featured Addresses
Utah, USA