To many people “crib” simply refers to a baby’s bed. But did you know that it has other meanings besides? That’s what this article is all about, we’re gonna tell you everything you need to know on the subject and a bit more besides.
We’ll kick things off with the different meanings before delving into the slang’s origins. We will also show you through whole sentence examples how people tend to use the slang. Then there’s a section on similar and synonymous terms before moving on to discuss some of the more notable uses of the term.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
What is meant by the slang word “crib”?
There are several meanings of the slang word “crib” but the most common one is the home or apartment where someone lives. This is the meaning that we will concentrate on for the purpose of this article.
As mentioned in the introduction, the word “crib” can also refer to a baby’s bed. In addition to this “crib” can also be used as a verb, meaning “to copy”. And there’s also some evidence that in some English dialects, particularly British and Indian, “to crib” means to complain or grumble.
What’s the origin of the slang word “crib”?
With MTV using the word “crib” so frequently, you’d be forgiven for assuming it’s a very modern and current term. But did you know it actually dates all the way back to Shakespear?
First of all, in Old English, the word “cribbe” originally referred to a manger, a trough for animal feed. This association with an enclosure for animals was later extended to other small, enclosed spaces. Then Shakespeare used the word in Henry IV, Part 2 in the 17th century, to refer to a small, lowly dwelling. And it was around this time, the term also began to be used for a baby’s bed with high, barred sides.
By the 1800s, the word was adopted into thieves’ slang in Britain, where it meant a house or other building to be robbed. The phrase “to crack a crib” meant to break into a house. In the early to mid 20th century, the slang meaning of “crib” crossed the Atlantic where it was used to refer to a general residence, including in descriptions of places of ill-repute, such as brothels.
Later the term would be notably documented in Langston Hughes and Arna Wendell Bontemps’ 1958 book, The Book of Negro Folklore, where it was defined as “[a] house, home, where you can not only hang your hat, but raise hell”. This indicates it was part of African American Vernacular English well before it later went mainstream.
The true popularisation of the term came in the early 2000s, thanks to songs from hip hop culture and shows like MTV Cribs (more on this shortly) which toured the luxury homes of famous celebrities.
How people use the slang word “crib” - featuring examples
Here are some whole sentence examples of the slang in use, to help give you some perspective:
- Listen, I had a great time tonight. Do you want to come back to my crib?
- Do you want to come meet my parents? See my crib?
- I’ve got to get back to my crib to recover from this hangover. Thanks for the all-nighter - I’ll see you next time, bye for now.
- Did you see MTV Cribs last night? Quite the controversy I heard.
Similar and synonymous words and phrases like “crib”
There are several similar and synonymous words and phrases that can often be used in place of the word “crib”. Here are some examples you might consider using:
- Home
- Flat
- Apartment
- Batchelor pad
- Place
- House
- Brothel
- Den
- Hideout
- Mansion
Notable uses of the slang word “crib” in literature and the media
Literature
The 19th century saw “crib” enter literary dialogue, especially in urban and criminal narratives, as writers sought to reproduce the flavor of street talk. For example, Charles Dickens often captured London’s underworld slang, like that used by Fagin and his gang in Oliver Twist (published in 1838), though Dickens preferred words like “crib” in hos prose when describing burglary.
Mark Twain also used the word “crib” in the sense of a dwelling, and the word appears in some editions/printings of his book Huckleberry Finn as slang for a small shack or lodging.
In African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and jazz/blues culture, “crib” became synonymous with home. This usage filtered into literature by mid-century, for example in Chester Himes’s Harlem Detective novels (1950s–60s), criminals and residents alike refer to apartments and hideouts as cribs.
By the late 20th century, particularly through the rise of hip-hop culture, “crib” became firmly established in mainstream literature (especially fiction that reflected African American urban life) as a positive, casual synonym for home.
MTV Cribs
MTV Cribs is an American documentary television show that originated on MTV and aired from 2000 to 2010. It featured tours of the private homes of celebrities. Each 30-minute documentary-style episode begins with the celebrity opening the front door, introducing themselves, and saying, “welcome to my crib.” A steadicam then follows the celebrity through the home and takes frequent close-ups to make the viewer feel like they are walking through the home themselves.
There have been 19 seasons of the show, but the seasons can really differ in length, with some just featuring 3 episodes while others feature as many as 28. There has been over 185 celebrities taking part, and this includes musicians, actors, and athletes. Examples of celebrities who took part include Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, Jane Seymour, and KimKardashian.
Final word
So, to sum up, the slang word “crib” is mostly used to refer to a person’s home, whether it happens to be a house or an apartment. The slang has old origins, dating all the way back to Shakespeare’s time. However, thanks to African American Vernacular English, it has become a very current and modern term.
