Urban Dictionary
Urban Dictionary is a crowdsourced online dictionary of slang and pop culture terms founded in 1999, where users submit and vote on definitions. It serves global internet users and writers, monetizing through advertising and on-demand branded merchandise.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Urban Dictionary does
Urban Dictionary is a privately held, crowdsourced online dictionary for slang, informal expressions, and pop culture terms, founded in 1999 by Aaron Peckham and operated as Urban Dictionary LLC from San Francisco, California. The platform allows any user to submit definitions for words and phrases; submissions are then voted up or down by the community, with the most popular definitions surfacing at the top of each entry page. The core website serves a global audience of general internet users seeking to understand contemporary slang, as well as writers and content creators using the site for cultural reference and creative inspiration. The platform also operates a Word of the Day email newsletter that distributes one featured slang term daily to subscribers.
The product is built on a user-generated content model with no formal editorial process, relying instead on community voting and basic abuse-prevention tooling (Google reCAPTCHA) to surface relevant definitions. User authentication is handled through email/password or third-party OAuth via Facebook and Google. The site is organized alphabetically and supports deep linking between related terms, creating an interconnected graph of slang definitions that has accumulated over 25 years of continuous operation.
Urban Dictionary monetizes through two primary streams: third-party display advertising on the dictionary website and on-demand merchandise sales through a separate e-commerce storefront at urbandictionary.store. Merchandise includes 11 oz ceramic mugs priced at $32.95, t-shirts, and hoodies featuring user-generated definitions, with checkout processed via Stripe. The company has not disclosed external funding and appears to operate as a lean, bootstrapped entity with 1-10 employees and no disclosed leadership team beyond the founder.
Urban Dictionary firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Urban Dictionary
- Legal name
- Urban Dictionary LLC
- Website
- https://urbandictionary.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Urban Dictionary is a crowdsourced online dictionary of slang and pop culture terms founded in 1999, where users submit and vote on definitions. It serves global internet users and writers, monetizing through advertising and on-demand branded merchandise.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Urban Dictionary industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Reference / Crowdsourced Dictionary
- NAICS
- Media Buying Agencies (541830)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & City Guide Content Aggregators (MPACAKAJ)
Keywords
Where Urban Dictionary is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Urban Dictionary business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Merchandise Sales: Urban Dictionary sells branded merchandise including mugs, t-shirts, and hoodies featuring popular slang terms and definitions. Products are printed on-demand and sold through the Urban Dictionary Store at urbandictionary.store. Products priced at $32.95 for mugs with free shipping available.
- Advertising: The platform displays third-party advertisements and shares user data with advertising partners for targeted advertising purposes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mugs - $32.95 with free shipping |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | T-shirts and Hoodies available |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Urban Dictionary product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Urban Dictionary operates a free, web-based crowdsourced dictionary where users submit, browse, search, and vote on definitions for slang words, phrases, and neologisms. The platform monetizes through display advertising on definition pages and through an on-demand e-commerce store selling branded mugs, t-shirts, and hoodies featuring popular definitions.
Product overview
Urban Dictionary operates as a user-generated slang dictionary platform where contributors submit and vote on definitions for informal words and phrases. The company monetizes through an e-commerce store selling on-demand merchandise (mugs, t-shirts, hoodies) featuring definitions, and offers a daily 'Word of the Day' email service. The core website and store operate as separate but connected properties under the Urban Dictionary brand.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Urban Dictionary Store: E-commerce store selling merchandise such as mugs, tees, and hoodies featuring Urban Dictionary definitions
Products and services
- Urban Dictionary Website A free, user-contributed dictionary of slang, informal expressions, and neologisms where users can browse, search, submit, and vote on definitions for words and phrases. Targeted at general internet users, writers, and content creators seeking contemporary slang meanings.
- Urban Dictionary Store An e-commerce platform selling on-demand branded merchandise featuring Urban Dictionary definitions, including mugs, t-shirts, and hoodies. Targeted at fans and gift buyers of Urban Dictionary content.
- Urban Dictionary Mugs Ceramic 11 oz mugs printed on-demand with a word on the front and its definition on the back, priced at $32.95 with free shipping. Dishwasher and microwave safe. Targeted at fans purchasing novelty merchandise.
- Urban Dictionary Tees T-shirts featuring Urban Dictionary definitions, available for customization with selected terms. Targeted at fans purchasing novelty apparel.
- Urban Dictionary Hoodies Hoodies featuring Urban Dictionary definitions. Targeted at fans purchasing novelty apparel.
- Word of the Day Email Service Daily email newsletter delivering one slang word or phrase with its definition to subscribers' inboxes. Targeted at general internet users who want regular exposure to new slang.
Companies that use Urban Dictionary
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Urban Dictionary technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
Urban Dictionary partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Urban Dictionary competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Urban Dictionary social profiles
Digital presenceUrban Dictionary financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Urban Dictionary leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Urban Dictionary funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Urban Dictionary M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Urban Dictionary
What does Urban Dictionary do?
Urban Dictionary operates a free, web-based crowdsourced dictionary where users submit, browse, search, and vote on definitions for slang words, phrases, and neologisms. The platform monetizes through display advertising on definition pages and through an on-demand e-commerce store selling branded mugs, t-shirts, and hoodies featuring popular definitions.
Is Urban Dictionary a public or private company?
Urban Dictionary is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Urban Dictionary founded?
Urban Dictionary was founded in 1999. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Urban Dictionary based?
Urban Dictionary is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Urban Dictionary make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Merchandise Sales are the primary driver. The others are advertising.
Does Urban Dictionary have an API?
No public API is recorded for Urban Dictionary.
What industry is Urban Dictionary in?
Urban Dictionary's product category is Online Reference / Crowdsourced Dictionary. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPACAKAJ, Local & City Guide Content Aggregators. Its NAICS code is 541830 and its SIC code is 7990.