what it is

English

Etymology

Possibly a combination of what up with how goes it and similar phrases. First use appears c. 1972. See cite below.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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• Audio (Mid-Atlantic US):

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Phrase

what it is?

1. (slang, African-American Vernacular) A casual greeting.
   • 1972, Odie Hawkins, Odie Hawkins:

     Mrs. Franklin breaks her embrace, begins running water into the sink to wash dishes...What it is, baby. What it is.

   • 1997, April Sinclair, Ain't Gonna be the Same Fool Twice, HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 181:

     "What it is?" David greeted me.

   • 2001, Chris Fuhrman, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, University of Georgia Press, →ISBN, page 162:

     A boy broke out of the crowd shouting, "Hey! Hey! What it is, brothers, what it is?"

   • 2007, K'wan, Still Hood, Macmillan, →ISBN, page 87:

     "What it is, my niggaz?" Hollywood gave True a pound then jerked him in for a hug.

Synonyms

• what up?
• what it do?
• what it be?

Anagrams

• what is it