- Although the origins of dabbing are unclear the trend peaked early this year and has reached the stage where it is done in a joking manner either as a celebration, taunt, dance move, challenge, or dramatic flair. One theory for the origin of the term itself is that it is based off of a method of ingesting cannabis that is called dabbing which originated way earlier, around 2012. Others have strongly disagreed with this interpretation of the origin and instead insist that it has its origins in the Atlanta hip-hop scene. It is still unclear who started the dance but the act of dabbing is generally directed towards someone or a group of people and is used in the form of ‘dabbing on’ people. The initial popularity of dabbing seemed to stem from when a US magazine, XXL Magazine, reported in August 2015 describing the new ‘masterful maneuver’ as ‘dabbin’.
Dab(1)
verb; zero derivation
Dabbing is a relatively recent phenomenon that is a type of dance move/gesture where someone quickly brings one bent elbow up to their head as if sneezing while extending the other arm up and away from the first arm.
Etymology : This form of Dab is a conversion of the previous verb ‘dab’, as in dipping something in a liquid. It may also be a reference to an intermediary conversion of ‘dab’ in reference to a specific method of consuming THC, also known as the active verb ‘dabbing’.
Source : “So we were driving on the interstate when this car pulls up and the driver looks at us, dabs, and speeds off. Of course we had to catch back up and dab on him. He even had the guts to go and dab on us again!” (suitemate describing a ‘dab off’ on the highway back to Houston, 10/2016)
Last modified: 2 December 2016