Far out
Meaning
Used to describe something that is excellent, unconventional, impressive, or mind-bending, often in a positive way.
Origin
The phrase "far out" blossomed from the Beat Generation and became a defining exclamation of the 1960s counterculture in America. It evolved from earlier jazz slang, where terms like "far gone" or simply "out" were used to denote something exceptional or profound. When fused together, "far out" perfectly encapsulated the era's spirit of rebellion and exploration, describing anything truly groundbreaking, trippy, or so incredibly unconventional that it transcended ordinary experience. It became an immediate verbal badge of approval, signifying something that pushed boundaries and defied the mainstream, particularly embraced by those experimenting with new forms of art, music, and consciousness.
Examples
- That new experimental jazz album is totally far out; I've never heard anything quite like it before.
- She had a far out idea for a performance art piece involving glow-in-the-dark paint and a trampoline.