A Handy Dictionary of Every Weird Slang Word That’s Popped Up on Riverdale

By Brea Cubit

Updated on 11/7/2018 at 9:50 AM

The CW
The CW

Riverdale had been a crazy show from the get-go, and season three seems to be upping the ante. Not only do we have murders, rituals, and levitating babies, but we also get bizarre lingo that characters throw around as if we know what they're talking about. If you've found yourself scratching your head more than once after hearing the phrase Jingle Jangle, or any other strange term for that matter, don't fret — we've compiled a handy Riverdale dictionary for your benefit.

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  • American Excess: This is Riverdale's version of American Express cards.
  • Aquaholics: This is the name of Riverdale High School's water polo team, because why not give a high school sports team a punny name that derives from the word "alcoholics." Only in Riverdale.
  • Barchie: Some fans are still hoping that Betty and Archie will be a thing and use this as their ship name.
  • Bean & Beluga: Veronica buys her chocolate almond croissants from this store.
  • Bijou: This is the name of Riverdale's movie theater.
  • Blue and Gold: Referencing Riverdale High's colors, this is the school's student-run newspaper.
  • Bughead: Betty and Jughead fans love to refer to the duo using this nickname.
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  • Bulldogs: The Bulldogs are Riverdale High's mascot and the school's football team.
  • Choni: Naturally, this is Cheryl and Toni's ship name.
  • Chugmo: Perhaps one of the funniest play on words in the show, this is a liquor store chain that almost bought Pop's before the Hiram Lodge stepped in and bought the diner in season two.
  • Falice: A lot of people want F.P. Jones and Alice Cooper to hook up again, so this is their ship name.
  • Five Seasons: If you hadn't already guessed, Five Seasons is Riverdale's version of the Four Seasons Hotel.
  • Fox Forest: This is a creepy forest near Pop's where Kevin usually spent time with his love interests. It's also where the Black Hood tried to kill Moose Mason and Midge Klump and where the Riverdale Reaper massacred the Conway family decades earlier. In recent episodes, it's presumably where the Gargoyle King resides.
  • Fresh-Aid: Since Kool-Aid doesn't exist in the Riverdale universe, this is the substance that Dilton Doiley and Ben Button mixed cyanide with before Jughead found them in a deadly state in Fox Forest.
  • Gargoyle King: The Gargoyle King is a person (or thing) that might be responsible for the strange, haunted happenings so far in season three.
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  • Ghoulies: They are the the Southside Serpents' rival gang that just won't go away.
  • Greendale: This is a neighboring town that's the home of Sabrina Spellman and the city Mrs. Grundy moved to before she was murdered by the Black Hood in season two.
  • Grind'em: Yep, you guessed it, this is the show's version of Grindr.
  • Gryphons & Gargoyles: As Riverdale's rendition of Dungeons & Dragons, this board game is what Dilton Doiley and Ben Button were playing at Pop's in the season three premiere.
  • Here's the wheels, Baby Jane: Cheryl Blossom has said this punchy idiom that apparently means, "This is how it's gonna be, b*tch." It's presumably a reference to the 1962 film Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?
  • Ho Zone: This is the name of Riverdale's strip club — we're not kidding, that's really what it's called.
  • Innuendo: In case you were wondering if Riverdale is inclusive, the town at least has a gay bar.
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  • Jingle jangle: No, it's not a Christmas song. Jingle jangle is an illegal drug that was especially prominent in season two.
  • Night jogging: Kevin has especially used this phrase a lot, and it's basically his secret way of saying he's going cruising.
  • Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe: This is the most popular diner in Riverdale. The teens love to hang out here, and it's also where quite a bit of action, plotting, and scheming occur. It's now owned by Veronica Lodge instead of Hiram.
  • Red and Black: Similar to Blue and Gold, this was Southside High's former student-run newspaper — back when Southside High was still open. Apparently, the names of all high school newspapers in this show are just the school colors.
  • Red Circle: This was Archie's team of teenage vigilantes (basically just the football team) who somehow convinced themselves that they could protect the community from crime better than the police.
  • River Vixens: They are Riverdale High's cheerleading squad that recently performed outside of the prison Archie is currently in. Casual.
  • Shankshaw Prison: A pastiche of Stephen King's fictitious Shawshank State Prison, this is where F.P. Jones served time for helping to cover up Jason Blossom's murder.
  • Sisters of Quiet Mercy: This is a really creepy group home where Alice Cooper sent Polly after discovering that she was pregnant with Jason's twins and where Cheryl was sent for gay conversion before being saved by Toni.
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  • Southside Serpents: Formerly directed by F.P. Jones, this is a gang that is now led by Jughead with Betty as "Queen Serpent." They've had a series of rivals, including Hiram Lodge and the Ghoulies.
  • Spiffany's: This is a fancy designer brand, and we're not even making this up.
  • Sugarman: The nickname of Riverdale's main jingle jangle seller. In season two, Sugarman was revealed to be Southside High teacher Robert Phillips.
  • Sunnyside Trailer Park: Here is where F.P. and Jughead Jones live, located on the south side.
  • Sweetwater River: This river is where Jason Blossom was found dead and where Archie saved Cheryl from committing suicide in season one.
  • T.G.I. Thursdays: Cheryl mentions that she's going to eat at T.G.I. Thursdays, which is Riverdale's version of T.G.I. Fridays. At least we know Pop's isn't the only eatery in town.
  • The Dark Circle: Archie's original Red Circle squad secretly regrouped without him and formed this vigilante group.
  • The Farm: This is the name of a cult-like place and/or group that Polly and Alice Cooper joined.
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  • The Matchelorette: Veronica watches this television show, which is presumably the same as The Bachelorette.
  • The Pussycats: Josie used to lead this former musical girl group. It's now led by Veronica since Josie decided to pursue a solo career.
  • Thistle House: This is the Blossom home that Cheryl and Penelope moved to after Cheryl burned down their other house, Thornhill.
  • Thornhill: This was the Blossom family home that was consumed by flames in a fire started by Cheryl.
  • Triple C: Try not to laugh, but this is a roadside assistance service.
  • Twilight Drive-In: Jughead previously worked and occasionally resided in this drive-in movie theater before it was bought and demolished by Hiram Lodge.
  • Vanity Flair: Veronica references the "Vanity Flair" Oscar party in season one, and again, we're not making this up. Of course, this alludes to the annual Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
  • Varchie: Evidently, this is the ship name for Veronica and Archie.
  • Whyte Wyrm: This was formerly the choice hangout spot of the Southside Serpents. Maybe it was especially edgy because of the spelling.