LOL meant 'little old lady' before the internet
Decades before 'LOL' signaled online laughter, it appeared in print as shorthand for 'little old lady,' showcasing how abbreviations adapt meanings over time.
The abbreviation 'LOL' predates the internet by decades, originally standing for 'little old lady.' This surprising use appeared in newspapers and magazines during the 1920s and 1930s, often describing elderly women in lighthearted stories. By the 1940s, it was a common journalistic shortcut, evoking images of kindly grandmothers.
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