adjective
ghetto
Cheaply or crudely put together.
The reviewer dismisses the makeshift repair as ghetto.
Etymology
The slang adjective transfers a stereotype of an impoverished district to an object’s construction. It judges the object as makeshift or crude rather than describing an actual location.
More examples
- He called the taped handle ghetto, using the word disparagingly.
- She objected when he labeled the homemade shelf ghetto.
- The dialogue uses ghetto as an insult for shoddy workmanship.
Forms
ghetto
Similar words
- shoddy
- Poorly made, without the social stereotype.
- makeshift
- Improvised for temporary use, not necessarily poor quality.