9 Words That Mean Something Entirely Different In Texas

1. Coke

What it means everywhere else: Coca-Cola.
What it means in Texas: Any carbonated beverage—Pepsi, Coke, heck even Sprite. But not Dr. Pepper. Dr. Pepper is Dr. Pepper.

2. Barbecue

What it means everywhere else: A cookout—meaning hot dogs and hamburgers and beer.
What it means in Texas: That mouth-watering Southern cuisine that takes hours upon hours to cook to perfection.

3. Boots

What it means everywhere else: The footwear you bring out in the wintertime to trudge through snow in.
What it means in Texas: A closet staple. It’s what you wear with cut-offs, dresses, jeans, and anything else.

4. Queso

What it means everywhere else: Spanish for “cheese.” Thank you, high school Spanish class.
What it means in Texas: A hot, spicy, absolutely crucial Tex-Mex cheese dip that’s so much more than the sum of its parts.

5. Cowboys

What it means everywhere else: Clint Eastwood, “3:10 to Yuma,” the Marlboro Man.
What it means in Texas: Those guys who just passed you on the street. And, of course, the legendary Dallas football team.

6. Tea

What it means everywhere else: A hot beverage made with water and tea leaves, often served with honey in the cold months.
What it means in Texas: The only tea in Texas is sweet tea—and they don’t mean extra sugar.

7. Football

What it means everywhere else: A fall-winter sport in which teams try to score points by running or kicking into an end zone.
What it means in Texas: The definition of life.

8. Summertime

What it means everywhere else: Carefree beach days, warm weather, and no school.
What it means in Texas: A hot, sticky, sweaty, and unbearable few months.

9. Loop

What it means everywhere else: A shape produced by a curve that bends around and crosses itself.
What it means in Texas: I-610 in Houston. You’re either in the loop or outside it.