Have you ever been impressed with a plate of comfort food? Maybe you tried a new drink or a even a new product that was surprisingly impressive? Do you have a friend or know someone who is always surprising you with their performance? If so, there are quite a few ways to express your surprise and delight. The phrase “bomb diggity” is an example of a catchy phrase that you can use. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
Using “bomb diggity”, in the simplest terms, means “awesome”. This phrase can describe anything that is really cool, amazing, excellent, and overall incredible. Referring to something or someone as the “bomb diggity” means they are the best thing or person ever.
Overall, “bomb diggity” is an adjective used when you want to emphasize how amazing something or someone is. It can represent intense excitement about a certain situation or event. More information can be found in the video (here).
Example Usage
“Jackson helped me do my math homework yesterday so I wouldn’t fail the test today. He’s the bomb diggity!”
“This house is bomb diggity. It’s huge and has cool decorations.”
“That plate of tacos was the bomb diggity, especially with the guacamole on top”.
“Thanks for helping me move my stuff, Jeremy. You’re the bomb diggity.”
Origin
In 1956, singer Perry Como released a song titled Hot Diggity, which introduced the term “diggity” to the world. It has been widely used by other musicians ever since, including Blackstreet, who released the R&B hit No Diggity in 1996 with other famous artists Dr. Dre and Queen Pen.
The phrase “bomb diggity” became popular in the late 1990s. It is believed it was created as a variation of another popular expression, “the bomb”. “The bomb” has been around since the 1940s and 50s, where it was used mainly in the jazz scene to refer to something that was exceptionally cool.
“Bomb diggity” has been used in multiple places in pop culture. Fred Jones, a popular character from the Scooby-Doo franchise, referred to something as “the bomb diggity” in the 2004 movie Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster. It has been used in countless videos on YouTube and TikTok, and can be seen in multiple posts all over Reddit. To this day, merchandise such as mugs and keychains can be found on the Internet with the phrase “bomb diggity” on them, on websites including Etsy, a popular site where users sell their handmade goods.
Phrases Similar to Bomb Diggity
- Dope/sick/cool/etc.
- GOAT, or “greatest of all time”
- Gucci, or “good”
- Lit, or “amazing”, “cool”, “exciting”
- The bomb/the bomb dot com/da bomb
- Phat
Phrases Opposite to Bomb Diggity
- Terrible/awful/etc.
- TOAD, or “terrible on any day”
What is the Correct Saying?
- “Bomb diggity” is, itself, the correct saying.
Ways People May Incorrectly Say Bomb Diggity
“Bomb diggity” is, in general, a term to describe anything that is amazing, cool, impressive, or the like. Using this phrase to refer to anything that is bad would be incorrect. Some ways that “bomb diggity” is used incorrectly are:
- Jerry stole my girlfriend. That guy’s the bomb diggity.
- My car is rusting on the bottom and the grill fell off years ago. This thing is the bomb diggity.
- Becky destroyed my lab report and made me fail chemistry class. She’s the bomb diggity!
- Amber Heard ruined Johnny Depp’s reputation. She’s the bomb diggity!
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Bomb Diggity
- Thanks for helping me set up for our open house, Barbra! You’re the bomb diggity.
- Rachel helped me buy a new car because my old one was falling apart. She’s really the bomb diggity!
- Tony set me up with some free pizzas because they were about to close and had some extra! He’s the bomb diggity.
- Did you paint this flower on the wall over here? That’s bomb diggity.
- Jason is the bomb diggity, he has just the right amount of swagger in his step.