Stonks

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. Informal slang for stocks or shares, often used humorously to mean investments that are rising in value
2. A casual term for shares in companies, sometimes used ironically to describe a market that is climbing
3. Playful internet slang referring to stock market investments, especially those whose prices are going up

Etymology: "Stonks" is the plural of "stonk," and the word began as a deliberate misspelling of "stock." Its spelling plays on an internet joke: the respelling is a playful imitation of the way "stock" is pronounced in a hurry, and it sits in a family of jokey respellings like "stronk" for "strong" and "thonk" for "think." Its exact origin is uncertain, but one theory is that the spelling was influenced by "stink," which fits the word's use for stocks that have gone bad, whether through poor judgement or financial loss. Another possibility is that "stonk" is an imitative word, akin to "stomp," as if the sound of the word captured a heavy, clumsy movement. Neither explanation is settled. Used as a noun or verb, the word carries the sense of a stock or share, usually one whose value is falling. Its jokey spelling signals that the speaker is treating financial matters with mock seriousness, which is why it still reads as a deliberate piece of internet humour rather than standard financial vocabulary.

Synonyms: bombard, shell, pound