dope

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "dope" was once a common word for soda pop - especially Coca-Cola or Pepsi. The name came from Coca-Cola’s early formula, which included coca leaf extract.

#SouthernWords #Appalachia #Food #OldTimers #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I know RC Cola is the 'standard', but we'd always get a Moon Pie and a Pepsi 'dope.' It's more of an old timer word now.

Pronunciation

[DOHP]

Meaning & Usage

- A soda pop (regional use) (noun)

Mae:

Want anything while I’m out?

Earl:

Yeah - bring me a dope.

- Coca-Cola or Pepsi by name (noun)

Mae:

You want sweet tea?

Earl:

Naw, just a Pepsi dope.

other spellings: Coke, Pepsi dope, Co-Cola dope, soda, soft drink, cold dope, and bottle of dope

★ "Dope" didn’t mean drugs in this case - it was playful slang for Coke or Pepsi. In some towns, the whole word for soda was just "dope." ★

Origin

The nickname comes from Coca-Cola’s original 19th-century formula, which contained coca leaf extract. Southerners took to calling it "dope," and the term stuck for soda in general across Appalachia and the South.

Notes

Still remembered in Appalachian and Southern families. Though less common today, older folks may still say "Pepsi dope" or "Co-Cola dope." Outsiders rarely know the term in this sense.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "dope." Sometimes stretched: "dohhhp."

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Why call Coke "dope"?

Because of its early ingredients - folks joked about it, and the nickname stuck.

Does "dope" mean all sodas or just Coke?

In some places it meant any soda, but usually it leaned toward Coca-Cola or Pepsi.

Do people still say this?

Rarely - it’s an older Southern/Appalachian expression, but still remembered.