Brother to Bruh: How Gen Alpha slang has its origins in the 16th century

A young boy holds up a sign reading "bans off her body bruh" at a rally outside the State Capitol in support of abortion rights in Atlanta, Georgia on May 14, 2022.

What was once another shortened way to call a friend "brother," the word "bruh" is now being used widely, especially by Gen Alpha kids, to address parents, express sadness, frustration, happiness and seemingly everything else under the sun.

(Image credit: Elijah Nouvelage)