Popularized on the Internet in 2011, ELI5 is an acronym that stands for explain like I’m five. It is used in online chat, text messages, and social networks. This acronym is a common request when users enter a new community surrounding an interest, especially if the current members use jargon and shorthand that a new user wouldn’t understand. For example, if a user on Twitter didn’t understand cryptocurrency, they might send out a tweet reading “ELI5: What is cryptocurrency?”

When responding to an ELI5 question, users sometimes take the instructions literally, acting as if they were speaking to a child. Because it can come across as patronizing, however, explanations are usually done in layman’s terms. Metaphors and similes are used to compare new concepts to more recognizable ones.

Explain Like I’m Five on Reddit

The phrase “explain like I’m five” is also the name of a popular community on Reddit called “r/explainlikeimfive.” On this subreddit, users create threads asking other users to explain unfamiliar concepts or answer questions as if the OP (original poster) was five years old. As of March 2022, r/explainlikeimfive has over 20 million members.

Chat terms, Internet terms

  • How to learn more about computers.
  • A list of computer shorthand.
  • Computer acronyms and abbreviations.
  • Explain Like I’m Five subreddit.