[Ads-l] Temu, adj. (2024)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Here is a citation for "temu batman" with the desired sense in November 2023.

xtwitter handle: @fentyheffa
xtwitter timestamp: 11:11 AM, Nov 29, 2023
https://x.com/fentyheffa/status/1729895851600875615

[Begin xweet]
oomf calling ghostmaker a temu batman has had me giggling for the past
few minutes
[End xtweet]

Wiktionary has a pertinent entry. The first citation is in August
2023, but it uses "Temu brand" instead of "Temu".

Website: Wiktionary
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Temu

[Begin excerpt]
Temu
(attributive, chiefly Internet slang, derogatory, neologism)
Low-quality or an inferior copy.
Synonym: knockoff

2023 August 13, Jeremy Gan, “Ex-Overwatch pro mocked for promoting
knock-off “Hustler’s University” after being dropped”, in Dexerto‎[1],
archived from the original on 14 August 2023:

A Twitter user, saiyangod, contacted MaltheL out of curiosity and was
invited to a “Temu brand Hustler’s University focused on exploiting
OnlyFans models.”
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Sat, Jul 11, 2026 at 8:53 AM dave at wilton.net <dave at wilton.net> wrote:
>
>
> Not in the OED. Green's has a cite from 8 March 2025.
>
> Meaning second rate, of poor quality, a cheap imitation. From the name of the online retailer.
>
> @amandasmith.bsky.social. Bluesky.com, 21 September 2024. [ https://bsky.app/profile/amandasmith.bsky.social/post/3l4p6uhntwu26  ]( https://bsky.app/profile/amandasmith.bsky.social/post/3l4p6uhntwu26  )
>
> "fun fact in 2009 my geology 101 professor was adamant that this would be the cause of the next civil war and while he missed 'rise of Temu Fascism' he’s still not wrong"
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org