Published • Vintage Slang • 1970s

Boogie: The Disco-Era Verb for Hitting the Floor

Summary: Equal parts movement and mood—boogie captured the era’s dance-first energy.

In this post:
  • What “boogie” means and where it came from
  • How people used it in the 1970s
  • Modern equivalents and pop-culture examples
  • Related slang to explore next

What does “boogie” mean?

“Boogie” meant to dance, often to funk/disco. It also meant move/leave quickly in some contexts.

How it was used in the 1970s

“Let’s boogie,” or “Boogie down tonight” from chart-topping lyrics.

Modern equivalents

dance
get down
move it