Californication means: The adoption of practices and beliefs associated with California, in particular Hollywood and Silicon Valley.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
Californication
The adoption of practices and beliefs associated with California, in particular Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
ˌkælɪˈfɔːnɪˈkeɪʃənDocumented since 1940s1940sBoomerhistoricalCurrent160 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026＋ Add a definition
Seen in the wild
4 citations · last seen May 2026
Etymology timeline
Born ~1947 · 1 year of recorded use20th centurySee decade cohort →
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
Rudy Giuliani/Californication of TX/Palantir • Wednesday, May 6, 2026
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BlueskyMay 2026
It’s an OK album but it’s not Californication. It’s not even By The Way, tbh
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BlueskyMay 2026
I recognize a lot in your piece. But the objects of my devotion were Californication and By The Way. I'm a few years older than you. By the time this came out I already thought they were silly and never really got int…
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BlueskyMay 2026
I liked rhcp a lot until this album. After Californication, they always sounded like a parody of themselves.
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Firecrawl: Californication (album) - Wikipedia
" [Californication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californication_(song) "Californication (song)")"<br> <br>Released: June 2000<br>5.
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Definitions
US-TECH
#1·Apr 27, 2026US-TECH
The adoption of practices and beliefs associated with California, in particular Hollywood and Silicon Valley.
Isaac was pictured as the only male in the state who could satisfy his many succubi, and the Californication took place on his couch in City Hall, in the Temple, in saloons, in his carriage, in his home, oh, just anywhere.
Origin: From . First use appears c. 1947. Especially popularized by the use as title for a song (1999) and a TV series (2007–2014). Some folk interpretations often rebracket it as for humorous or derogatory effect. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
Californication means: The adoption of practices and beliefs associated with California, in particular Hollywood and Silicon Valley.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
Californication means: The adoption of practices and beliefs associated with California, in particular Hollywood and Silicon Valley.. Register: neutral, standard English. Common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; always check the context before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.
Heard in the wild
“Rudy Giuliani/Californication of TX/Palantir • Wednesday, May 6, 2026”
— Bluesky· May 2026“It’s an OK album but it’s not Californication. It’s not even By The Way, tbh”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I recognize a lot in your piece. But the objects of my devotion were Californication and By The Way. I'm a few years older than you. By the time this came out I already thought they were silly and never really got into this album.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“I liked rhcp a lot until this album. After Californication, they always sounded like a parody of themselves.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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Global
#2·Apr 27, 2026Global
(US, derogatory, urban studies) The large-scale development of land; urban sprawl.
A teenage bride with a baby inside getting high on information / And buy me a star on the boulevard, it's Californication
Heard in the wild
“" [Californication](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Californication_(song) "Californication (song)")"<br> <br>Released: June 2000<br>5.”
“Please help [improve this article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Californication_(song) "Special:EditPage/Californication (song)") by [adding citations to reliable sources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Referencing_for_beginners "Help:Referencing for beginners").”
“The Chili Peppers could almost certainly have registered a trademark for 'Californication', notwithstanding _Time's_ article.”
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Used in
GlobalUS-TECH
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🗺️About Regional & Other slang
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "Californication" (C)
California fuchsiaCalifornia kilowattCalifornia kingCalifornia pepper treeCalifornia-style pizzaCalifornicatecalingulacaliperscallCallafancall a goCallahan
Browse all slang words starting with C.
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