Love Island: From 'factor 50' to ‘Ovie'd’, key list of words from the ITV dating show

It’s time to do some grafting

The return of Love Island has already brought us a new array of dating terms.

Earlier this month, the hit ITV2 dating show returned, opening its villa doors to 12 new contestants ready for a summer of love, sun, and drama.

In previous years, contestants have educated the British public on words including “pied” and “melt” (none of which have anything to do with food) to describe their affections for fellow islanders, their appearances, and interactions with the opposite sex.

Amid the range of British dialects in this year’s series, from Geordie to Scouse, contestants have introduced a whole new lexicon of words for viewers to get their head around.

For example, within minutes of 2019 contestant Lucie Donlan entering the villa she brought the term “bev” into our vernacular, causing immediate umbrage among Twitter users.

So, what words will we be adding to our dictionaries this year?

Here’s the Love Island glossary you need to see you through the next eight weeks:

Factor 50

Meaning: To lay on the charm (verb)

Several of the islanders have used the phrase to describe the intensity of their romantic behaviour towards other contestants.

Example: "I like her - I'm going to lay it on Factor 50"

Thick

Meaning: To be angry with someone (verb)

Contestant Maura Higgins used the phrase during a conversation with Curtis Pritchard to ask if he was annoyed with her.

Example: "Are you thick with me?"

Ovie'd

Meaning: When your love interest falls for someone else

Contestant Chris Taylor said he had "been Ovie'd" after India Reynolds was seen spending time with Ovie Soko in the pool.

Example: "I think I've just been Ovie'd"

Chived

Meaning: To be annoyed (verb)​

Contestant Tommy Fury coined the phrase during his breakfast with partner Molly-Mae during the second week of the show.

Example: “I’m getting chived.”

Bev

Meaning: A handsome man (noun)

Contestant Donlan used the phrase several times in the 2019 series’ first episode to describe her ideal partner.

Example: “I want a bev” (not to be confused with a beverage).

It is what it is

Meaning: C’est la vie (phrase)

The term was first used by both Sherif Lane and Michael Griffiths after being rejected during the coupling stage in the first episode.

Example: “I was dumped but it is what it is.”

Anna Vakili and Sherif Lanre on ‘Love Island’ (Rex Features)

Muggy

Meaning: Disrespectful (adjective)

See also ‘to mug someone off’ – for example, by stealing their partner.

Made famous by 2017 contestants, Mike Thalassitis who was dubbed “Muggy Mike” as a result of his romance with fellow islander Olivia Attwood who was coupled up with Chris Hughes at the time.

Example: “I can’t believe you did that, that was well muggy.”

To crack on

Meaning: To try and make someone fancy you (verb)

If someone in the villa is single and there is an imminent recoupling, they may crack on with someone else.

Example: “I left Olivia for five minutes and he was cracking on with her!”

Total melt

Meaning: A wimp, soppy person or idiot (adjective)

Kem Cetinay, who won the 2017 series, popularised the catchphrase when describing his fellow contestants.

Example: “You’re acting like a total melt over her.”

To graft

Meaning: To put the work in with someone to get them to like you (verb)

Grafting typically occurs after cracking on with someone.

Example: “He’s barely been talking to me so needs to get grafting really.”

My type on paper

Meaning: Your ideal man or woman who ticks all your boxes (noun)

Usually used in the context of physical appearance.

Example: “Adam is 100 per cent my type on paper.”

Salty

Meaning: Angry (adjective)

To behave in a salty manner or to behave angrily towards someone.

Example: “Stop being so salty with me!”

Amy Hart and Amber Gill arrive at the ‘Love Island’ villa (Rex Features)

To stick it on

Meaning: To flirt (verb)

Similar to cracking on and grafting, sticking it on someone is when you flirt in a blatant and very forward manner.

Example: “She was sticking it on him about five minutes after meeting!”

To pie off

Meaning: To reject (verb)

If you’ve been pied off, you’ve been rejected or shot down.

Example: “I stuck it on her but she totally pied me off, it was so embarrassing.”

The “ick”

Meaning: The sudden and overwhelming feeling of being repulsed by someone (noun)

If you’re coupled up with someone you fancy but all of a sudden find you can’t bear them, you’ve got the ick.

Example: “I don’t know what happened but I don’t want to kiss him at all any more – I think I’ve got the ick.”