P911

What Does P911 Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

P911 means "Parent Alert."

More Observations...

P911 is commonly used during text or chat conversations to let the other person know that a parent is nearby. (In the UK, P911 is P999.)

Of note, the telephone number 911 was first used for the emergency services in America in Haleyville, Alabama, in 1968. Thereafter, it was adopted by other countries. Most GSM mobile phones have 112, 999, and 911 pre-programmed as emergency numbers. The P before 911 indicates "parent." It has the same meaning as AITR (Adult in the room).

Image for P911

When I write P911, I mean this:

P911 means Parent Alert.

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

P911
Definition:	Parent Alert (USA)
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	2: Quite easy to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of P911 in Sentences

Here are examples of P911 in conversations:

• Jo: Do you want to hear about my new boyfriend?
• Christine: I would love to, but P911.

• Christine: She was just about to tell me when P911!
• Sarah: Oh no! How annoying.

An Academic Look at P911

P911 is defined as an "internet slang term" by our team because some of its characters are used as substitutes for letters. Most "slang terms" were introduced to reduce the number of key strokes required to write the word, but since the arrival of predictive texting and keyboards on mobile devices, this efficiency is no longer required. Nevertheless, "slang terms" are still regularly used to make messages more entertaining or to express individuality. "Slang terms" differ from icons because they are not pictorial representations.

What Did We Say before Texting and Social Media?

Before the digital era, we might have said something like "my parents are in the room" instead of P911.

Using Numbers in Texts

This video shows the different ways that numbers are used in "text speak":

Example of P911 Used in a Text

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