By Mary Madigan

Copyright news

A quick history lesson, if you’re unfamiliar, toey is just a slang word for horny. It originated in the 1930s – according to a quick Google search – and was once Australian slang for being nervous. It actually came from race horses toeing the ground in anticipation before a race.

Then, somehow and for reasons unclear, and (I don’t necessarily want to know why) it started to mean horny and teenage boys began using it.

Toey was very much part of the vernacular of the public school I attended. Like Dare Iced Coffees, and rolling up our school skirts, it was part of our age group’s middle-class culture.

I’m not saying people throw the word “toey” around much anymore; it has become cringe-worthy. You’d most commonly hear it now if someone was taking the piss but it still exists.

I’m not delusional, I doubt any Gen Zer is sexting and describing themselves as “toey” but I figured most would at least be familiar with the term.

Until the word came up at work, and I mentioned it to my Gen Z co-worker, and he looked at me blankly.

I then asked him what he thought it meant, and he said, “Umm is that short for tow truck?”

Then I had to explain what it really meant, awkwardly, because how was that not going to be awkward.

“Really, what the hell?” he said.

That encounter made me genuinely concerned that the word “toey” was becoming extinct; our ancient texts are being lost, as they say on the internet.

So, news.com.au headed down to the University of Technology to get some answers, and I was armed with a Gen Zer cameraman and a thirst for the truths.

I went in hard, asking any Gen Zer who was willing to talk to me, “Do you know what the word toey means?”

The response was eye-opening; it made me feel so old that I may now need to go and buy some under-eye cream.

A lot of them just thought I meant the word “shoey”, you know, when you put alcohol in a shoe and drink from that? They’re very across that slang.

The word “toey”, on the other hand, is a complete mystery to Gen Zers.

“All I can think is about is like towing, I guess, like you are you taking something with you?” one guessed.

Points for using critical thinking at the University, but no.

That was arguably the most thoughtful response I got, most Gen Zers just responded with one-word answers.

“No,” one said.

“What?” Another asked.

“No idea,” someone else offered.

I truly could have been speaking French, there wasn’t even some vague recognition crossing their unlined faces.

When I broke the news to them and told them what the word meant, that didn’t go over well either.

“No, no, no,” one said, before covering her mouth in shock.

“Why are you conflating toes and being horny. That is kind of weird,” another criticised.

“Imagine going into the bedroom and they are like, ‘I’m feeling very toey today,” one said in amazement.

Okay, well it does sound bad, when you put it like that!

Finally, one Gen Zer gave it to me straight.

“I would really stray away from using that,” she advised solemnly.

So there you go … the word ‘toey’ is becoming extinct; what will they come for next?