down-low

or down·low

[ doun-loh ]

adjective

1. of or pertaining to men who secretly or discreetly have sex with other men:

   She once dated a down-low guy.

2. secret; discreet; low-profile.

Word History and Origins

Origin of down-low¹

First recorded in 1990-95; down ¹( def ) + low ¹( def )

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. on the down-low,
   1. (of a man) secretly or discreetly engaging in sex with other men.
   2. done secretly or in a discreet manner:

      Okay I'll tell you, but keep it on the down-low.

Example Sentences

“He has to really stay on the down low, he has to make sure that he blends in,” Ney told the Beast.

From The Daily Beast

“I mainly tell [my family] about art projects and opportunities and keep the modeling on the down low,” Fox told The Daily Beast.

From The Daily Beast

Kelly Rowland: “Kisses Down Low” Kelly Rowland is revealing her inner sexy vixen… and we like it!

From The Daily Beast

The drawings showed the view down low to the ground, where I was—not like the view when I was up on Dad's shoulders.

From The Daily Beast

Really, though, why should anyone be able to guard James down low given that body of his?

From The Daily Beast

The drawing-room was all dark, and the light in the hall was turned down low.

From Project Gutenberg

Without another word, Mrs. Marsden turned the lamp down low, and hurried towards the front hall door.

From Project Gutenberg

The earl's eyebrows creased up over the address; they came down low on the contents.

From Project Gutenberg

Then Johnny saw the man walk to the lamp and turn the light down low, and leave the great big room.

From Project Gutenberg

I proceeded forward to ascertain the position of the leak, and came to the conclusion she was holed down low.

From Project Gutenberg

About This Word

What else does down-low mean?

Content warning: the following content includes references to sexual activity.

Something on the down-low is secret or private.

Down-low can also specifically refer to Black men who secretly have sex.

Where does down-low come from?

On the down-low, or on the DL, refers to information that’s kept quiet or under wraps. It emerges in Black slang by the 1990s. Both down and low underscore the slang’s sense of “quiet” and “hushed.”

Since at least the early 2000s, down-low refers to men who secretly have sex (on the down low) with other men. It’s historically used of urban Black men who otherwise present as heterosexual, often married and with children, in a culture where homosexuality has been stigmatized.

How is down-low used in real life?

One can use down-low in general contexts for information that’s kept secret, discreet, or private (e.g., Keep this on the down-low, but I lost my job).

If a person is on the down-low, that means they are keeping a low profile and staying out of the public eye.

Lmao Tori keeps her personal life on the dl for a reason, stop assuming things and let her live geez

— 🇮🇸ACAB (@sweatyves) November 29, 2015

Down-low, however, is very frequently used to talk about Black men who secretly or discreetly engage in sex with each other. The 2007 TV show The DL Chronicles followed men of color leading secret sex lives—and also showcases that down-low is frequently abbreviated as DL.

More examples of down-low:

“Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt may lose his license to practice law — after failing to disclose an arrest on suspicion of assaulting a police officer in Virginia…Today Laxalt held an event in Reno, but refused to answer questions from local TV station KOLO ‘about why he’s been on the down low for the last few months.’”
—Rachel Hosie, The Independent (UK), April 2017

Note

This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.