Esports & Gaming Glossary

Whether you’re into competitive gaming, engaging in lively discussions on gaming forums, or simply wanting to keep up with the latest trends in digital entertainment, understanding esports and gaming terms is essential. From strategic gameplay tactics to character roles and beyond, this collection of terms can help you in the world of video games and esports. We have listed for you hundreds of key terms used in gaming and esports. Familiarizing yourself with this vocabulary will not only enhance your gaming experience but also allow you to communicate effectively with fellow gamers around the world. If you’re curious about a specific term or want to deepen your knowledge, you can explore each terms further by clicking on it and thereby learning more.

• Ace: When a single player defeats an entire enemy team by themselves.
• AFK: Acronym for “Away From Keyboard”; someone not actively playing.
• 3D Spotting: Revealing enemy players in 3D space, often in FPS games.
• Achievement: Milestones or tasks players can complete in games.
• Achievement Hunter: A player who aims to complete all in-game achievements.
• AD: Attack Damage; term used in MOBAs for physical damage dealers.
• ADC: Attack Damage Carry; primary damage dealer in MOBA games.
• ADS: Acronym for “Aim Down Sights”; looking through a weapon’s sights.
• Aggro: Drawing the attention or aggression of enemy NPCs or players.
• Aim Punch: The jolt a player’s view takes after being hit in an FPS.
• Aimbot: Cheating software that automates aiming.
• Anti-Cheat: Software designed to prevent cheating in games.
• AoE: Acronym for “Area of Effect”; attacks that damage multiple targets within a specified area.
• AoE Indicator: Area that displays the radius of an Area of Effect skill.
• API: Application Programming Interface; tools for building game-related apps.
• APM: Acronym for “Actions Per Minute”, a measure of player speed.
• Avatar: A player’s in-game character or representation.
• Backdoor: Attacking the enemy’s main objective without engaging in direct combat with them.
• Backfill: Joining a match in progress to replace a player who left.
• Backstab: Attacking an enemy from behind, often for bonus damage.
• Baiting: Luring enemies into traps or ambushes.
• Ban: To prohibit a specific character or player in competitive matches.
• Battle Pass: A system in games where players can earn rewards by playing.
• Battle Royale: Game mode where players fight to be the last one standing.
• Bleed Out: A state where a downed player slowly loses health.
• Blind Pick: Choosing characters without seeing the enemy’s choices.
• Boosting: Improving a player’s rank by using professional services.
• Bot: Computer-controlled character.
• Bots: AI-controlled players in a game.
• Bracket: The structure of tournament matchups.
• Buff: An enhancement to a character’s stats or abilities.
• Buff Timer: A countdown showing when a beneficial effect will end.
• Build: Specific set of items or skills chosen for a character during a game.
• Build Order: Sequence in which players create units or structures in strategy games.
• Bunny Hop: Jumping repeatedly in FPS games to move faster.
• Button Masher: Games where rapid button pressing leads to success.
• Camp: To remain in one area waiting for enemies, often used in FPS games.
• Camper: Player who stays in one spot waiting for enemies.
• Camping Spot: A location where players often stay to ambush others.
• Cap: Capture a point in objective-based games.
• Carry: A player or character who, if they perform well, will “carry” their team to victory.
• Casters: Commentators in Esports broadcasts.
• CC: Acronym for “Crowd Control”; abilities or skills that impair an opponent’s movement or actions.
• CCM: Crowd Control Mage; characters who control enemy movements.
• Chain CC: Using multiple crowd control abilities in succession.
• Champion Pool: Set of characters a player is proficient with.
• Character Class: Role or type of character in games, like “Healer” or “Warrior”.
• Cheese: Strategies that are highly unconventional and unexpected.
• Choke Point: A narrow space on a map where confrontations often occur.
• Circle: The shrinking play zone in battle royale games.
• Clan: A group of players who play together regularly.
• Clickbait: Misleading or sensationalized titles to entice clicks/views.
• Clipping: When game characters or objects mistakenly pass through each other.
• Clutch: Pulling off a difficult or seemingly impossible play.
• Combo: A sequence of moves or skills executed in rapid succession.
• Control Map: A type of map where teams compete for control over a point.
• Cooldown (CD): A waiting period before a skill or ability can be used again.
• Cooldown Reduction (CDR): Items or skills that reduce the waiting time for abilities.
• Cooldown Timer: A display showing how long until an ability can be used again.
• Co-op: Cooperative gameplay mode.
• Counter: Picking a character or strategy specifically to oppose an enemy choice.
• Counterpick: Choosing a character specifically strong against an opponent’s.
• Crafting: Making in-game items from components or resources.
• Creep: Small computer-controlled units in MOBAs.
• Creep Score (CS): The number of creeps a player has killed.
• Crosshair: The indicator used to aim in FPS games.
• Cross-Play: Feature allowing players from different platforms to play together.
• Crowd Funded Prize: Tournament prizes funded by the community or game sales.
• Dailies: Daily challenges or tasks in a game.
• Deathmatch: Game mode where players respawn and aim for high kill counts.
• Debuff: Temporary negative status effect on a character.
• Dive Comp: Team composition built to aggressively engage the enemy.
• DLC: Downloadable Content; additional game content available post-launch.
• DM: Acronym for “Deathmatch”, a game mode.
• D-Pad: Directional pad on game controllers.
• DPS: Acronym for “Damage Per Second”; often used to assess damage output.
• DPS Meter: Tool measuring damage per second output by players.
• Draft Phase: Period in MOBAs when teams pick and ban characters.
• Drop: The act of landing from an airborne transport in a game.
• Dropshotting: Dropping to prone while shooting in FPS games.
• Duel: 1v1 fight between players.
• Duelist: Character type focused on 1v1 fights.
• Easter Egg: Hidden content or features in games.
• Easter Egg Hunt: Community events searching for hidden content in games.
• Economy: Management of in-game resources, often in tactical shooters.
• Elimination Mode: Game mode where players don’t respawn upon death.
• ELO: A rating system to determine players’ skill levels.
• ELO Hell: A rank where players feel stuck due to uncooperative teammates.
• Emote: Animated actions or gestures used in-game for expression.
• Endgame: Content or objectives players tackle after main game completion.
• Endgame: The final phases or highest levels of a game.
• Engager: A character or player initiating fights.
• Expansion Pack: Additional content released for a game after its launch.
• Exploit: Using a game bug or glitch to a player’s advantage.
• F2P Model: Free-to-Play Model; games that are free but may offer in-game purchases.
• Faceroll: Winning or performing well with little effort.
• Farm: Acquiring resources by repetitive actions.
• Farm Lane: Focusing on gathering resources in a particular game area.
• Farming: Repeatedly killing NPCs or performing actions to gain experience, gold, or other benefits.
• Feeding: Repeatedly dying to the enemy, giving them an advantage.
• Field of View (FOV): Extent of the observable in-game world displayed on screen.
• Flanking: Attacking the enemy from the side or rear.
• Fog: Reduced visibility in game areas.
• Fog of War: Hidden areas of a game map, made visible when explored.
• FOV Slider: Tool to adjust the field of view in games.
• Frag: Slang for a kill in a first-person shooter.
• Frag Grenade: A grenade that disperses shrapnel upon detonation.
• Fragging: Killing enemies in FPS games.
• Freemium: Free games that offer in-game purchases.
• Free-to-Play (F2P): Games that are free to play but may have purchasable content.
• Friendly Fire: When players can harm teammates.
• Gacha System: In-game lottery for obtaining characters or items.
• Game Mode: Specific rules or objectives defining a game type.
• Gamebreaking: Bugs or glitches that seriously hinder gameplay.
• Gamepad: Handheld controller for gaming.
• Gank: Ambushing an unsuspecting enemy, usually with superior numbers.
• GG: Acronym for “Good Game”.
• GGWP: Acronym for “Good Game, Well Played”.
• Ghosting: Watching someone else’s game/screen to gain an advantage.
• Gib (Giblets): Fragments of a character that explode or scatter upon death.
• Glass Cannon: A character that deals high damage but has low survivability.
• GLHF: Acronym for “Good Luck, Have Fun.”
• Grind Spot: Game area where players repeatedly earn resources or XP.
• Grindfest: A game requiring extensive repetitive actions.
• Grinding: Repeatedly playing to earn experience or items.
• Guild: An organized group of players in MMO games.
• Guild Hall: Central location or hub for guild members in MMOs.
• Guild Wars: Battles between player groups in MMOs.
• Hacker: Someone using unauthorized software to cheat in games.
• Hard Reset: Restarting game systems to address bugs or issues.
• Hardcore Mode: Game mode with increased difficulty or realism.
• Headshot: Aiming and hitting an opponent’s head in shooter games.
• Healer: Character role focused on restoring teammates’ health.
• Health Regen: Mechanic where characters recover health over time.
• Hit Detection: How a game determines if attacks hit targets.
• Hit Scan: Weapons that instantly hit where they are aimed.
• Hitbox: The area around a character in which a hit will register.
• Hitmarker: Visual indicator showing a successful hit on an enemy.
• Hotfix: A small game update to address a specific issue.
• HP: Acronym for “Hit Points”; a numerical representation of a character’s health.
• HP Bar: Visual representation of a character’s health.
• HUD: Acronym for “Heads Up Display”; on-screen game info.
• Hypercarry: Character that becomes extremely powerful when fully equipped.
• IAP: Acronym for “In-App Purchase”.
• Idle: Being in-game but not actively participating.
• I-Frames: Invincibility Frames; moments when a character can’t be hit.
• Instagib: Game mode where players die with a single hit.
• Instance: A separate copy of a game area for each group of players.
• Invoker: A type of spell-casting character or role.
• Item Build: Sequence in which a player buys in-game items.
• Jitter Mod: A cheat that disrupts game controls, often in FPS games.
• Juke: Dodging enemy moves or tricks to mislead foes.
• Jungle: In MOBAs, the areas of the map not used for main lanes. Inhabitants of the jungle provide buffs and resources.
• Jungle Buff: Enhancements gained from defeating specific jungle creatures in MOBAs.
• KDA: Acronym for “Kills, Deaths, Assists”; often used as a metric for player performance.
• KDR: Acronym for “Kill-Death Ratio”.
• Kill Cam: Replay showing a player’s death from the enemy’s perspective.
• Kite: Strategy of attacking while staying out of enemy’s reach.
• Kiting: Drawing an enemy’s attention and leading them around.
• KOS: Acronym for “Kill On Sight”.
• Ladder: A ranking system in competitive games.
• Lag: Slowdown in game response due to high latency.
• LAN: Acronym for “Local Area Network”; a type of offline tournament.
• LAN Party: Gathering where players bring computers to play in a local network.
• Laning Phase: Early game period in MOBAs where players stay mostly in lanes.
• Last Hit: Landing the final blow on a game enemy.
• Latency: The delay between player actions and game response.
• Leaderboard: Display ranking players based on performance.
• Leashing: Leading a computer-controlled enemy to a specific location.
• Leech: A player who benefits from the team without contributing much.
• Level Cap: Maximum level a character can reach in a game.
• LFG: Looking For Group; seeking other players for team activities.
• Live Stream: Broadcasting gameplay in real-time online.
• Loot Box: In-game purchase containing random items.
• Loot Crate: Box or container in games containing a random assortment of items.
• Loot Table: A list determining what loot can drop from game sources.
• Macro: A single command in a game that triggers a series of commands.
• Macro Play: Strategic gameplay focusing on objectives over kills.
• Maining: Primarily playing one specific character or role.
• Mana Pool: Total amount of mana a character has for abilities.
• Match Fixing: Illegally influencing the outcome of a match for benefits.
• Match History: Record of a player’s past games.
• Match History: Record of a player’s past games.
• Matchmaking: System of pairing players of similar skill levels.
• Melee: Close-quarters combat or characters who specialize in it.
• Meta: The most popular and effective strategy or playstyle in the current game environment.
• Micro Play: Gameplay focusing on individual skills and plays.
• Microtransactions: Small in-game purchases for items or cosmetics.
• Minigame: A small game within the main game.
• Minimap: Small map on the HUD showing game areas and player locations.
• MMR: Acronym for “Matchmaking Rating”; a value that determines player skill.
• Mob: Short for “Mobile”; refers to computer-controlled characters.
• MobaCoin: In-game currency used in various mobile games.
• Mobility: A character’s ability to move quickly or traverse maps.
• Mobility Skill: Abilities allowing quick movement or evasion.
• Mod: Player-made modification to a game.
• Momentum: Gaining an advantage and using it to apply pressure.
• MTX: Acronym for “Microtransactions”.
• Multi-Cam: Broadcasting with multiple camera views.
• Multikill: Killing multiple enemies in quick succession.
• Nade: Short for “grenade” in shooter games.
• Nade Spot: Specific locations where grenades are effective in FPS games.
• Nerf: A reduction in a character’s stats or abilities, opposite of a buff.
• Nerf Bat: Hypothetical tool used by developers to weaken characters.
• Nerf Hammer: Hypothetical tool used by developers to weaken aspects of a game.
• Netcode: Networking technology behind multiplayer online games.
• Noob: Derogatory term for a new or inexperienced player.
• No-Scope: Killing an enemy without using a weapon’s scope in FPS games.
• NPC: Acronym for “Non-Playable Character”; computer-controlled characters.
• Nuke: Character or ability that deals massive damage.
• Objective: Primary mission or goal in a game map or mode.
• Off-meta: Characters or strategies not currently popular in the meta.
• OP: Acronym for “Overpowered.”
• Overclocking: Boosting hardware performance, often for gaming.
• Overheal: Giving a character more health than their maximum limit.
• P2W: Acronym for “Pay To Win”. Games where spending money can give in-game advantages.
• Party: A group of players teaming up for multiplayer games.
• Party Leader: Player responsible for organizing and managing a game party.
• Party System: Feature allowing players to group up before entering a game.
• Passive Ability: Character skills that are automatic, not activated by the player.
• Patch: Updates to a game.
• Patch Notes: Detailed updates on changes made to a game.
• Peeking: Quickly viewing an area for enemies, common in FPS.
• Perk: Bonus abilities or benefits players can choose in some games.
• Ping: Measure of network latency, often displayed in milliseconds.
• Ping Rate: The latency between the player’s client and the game server.
• Ping System: Tool allowing players to point out locations, items, or enemies without voice chat.
• Pixel Boosting: Using game glitches to view or shoot through tiny spaces.
• Pixel Hunting: Searching very detailed areas in games for interactive elements.
• Pixel Perfect: Game scenarios requiring extremely precise movements.
• Platformer: Genre of games emphasizing navigating levels and jumping.
• Player Base: The total number of active players in a game.
• POG: Acronym for “Play Of the Game.” Similar to POTG.
• Polygon: The smallest graphical units used to render 3D game characters and environments.
• POTG: Acronym for “Play Of The Game”; highlight of the best play during a match.
• POTM: Acronym for “Player Of The Match.”
• Power Leveling: Quickly increasing a character’s level, often with assistance.
• Pre-Fire: Shooting before fully seeing an enemy in anticipation of their movement.
• Prestige: Resetting a character’s progress to gain a cosmetic or other reward.
• Pro Build: Item and skill selections commonly used by professional players.
• PUG: Acronym for “Pick Up Group”; players grouped up for single sessions.
• PvB: Acronym for “Player versus Bot”; players against AI-controlled characters.
• PvE: Acronym for “Player versus Environment”; players against computer-controlled opponents.
• PvM: Acronym for “Player versus Monster”; player combat against game AI.
• PvP: Acronym for “Player versus Player”; players competing against each other.
• PvPvE: Player vs. Player vs. Environment; mix of PvP and PvE.
• Quick Play: Game mode focused on casual play rather than competitive.
• Quick Time Event (QTE): In-game event requiring rapid button presses.
• Quickscope: Quickly scoping and shooting in rapid sequence in FPS games.
• Rage: Extreme player frustration.
• Rage Quit: Exiting a game due to frustration or anger.
• Raid: Large-scale attack in MMOs involving multiple players.
• Raid Boss: Powerful enemy in MMOs requiring multiple players to defeat.
• Ranked Mode: Competitive mode where players are ranked based on performance.
• Rat: A player who avoids combat, sneaking around the game map.
• Realm: A game world or server in MMOs.
• Reload Cancel: Interrupting a weapon’s reload animation to act faster.
• Remaster: Updated and improved version of a previously released game.
• Reroll: Starting over or trying again, often for better outcomes.
• Reskin: New appearance or design for a game element, like a character.
• Respawn: Coming back to life after being killed in-game.
• Respawn Timer: Waiting time before a player can return after being killed.
• Retro Gaming: Playing or collecting older video games and systems.
• RNG: Acronym for “Random Number Generator”; any element of randomness in a game.
• Roaming: Moving around the game map instead of staying in one location.
• Roguelike: Genre of games where death is permanent and levels are randomly generated.
• Role: A player’s main function in a team-based game.
• Role Lock: Mechanism ensuring a balanced team composition in games.
• Roll: Defensive move in many games to dodge attacks.
• Roster: List of characters in a game or players in a team.
• RPG: Acronym for “Role-Playing Game”, a genre focused on character development.
• RTS: Real-Time Strategy; game genre emphasizing strategic planning.
• Rush: Quickly advancing on the enemy or objective.
• Save Round: In tactical shooters, a round where players save money instead of buying equipment.
• Scope: Aiming using a weapon’s scope in FPS games.
• Scrim: Short for “scrimmage”; a practice match between teams.
• Self Heal: Character’s ability to restore their own health.
• Server: Where the game is hosted online.
• Server Tick Rate: Rate at which a game server updates, affecting gameplay smoothness.
• Shroud: Area of the game map covered in darkness or fog.
• Skill Shot: Game move or ability that requires precise aim or timing.
• Skin: Cosmetic changes to a character’s appearance.
• Skins: Cosmetic changes to game characters or items.
• Smurf: An experienced player creating a new account to play against less-experienced players.
• Smurfing: Experienced players using lower-level accounts to face easier opponents.
• Spawn Camping: Staying near enemy spawn points to kill them as they appear.
• Spawn Killing: Targeting players as they appear in the game, often considered unsporting.
• Spawn Point: Location where players enter the game map.
• Special Move: Unique ability specific to a character.
• Speedrun: Completing a game or section as quickly as possible.
• Splash Damage: Damage that affects a radius, not just the targeted area.
• Splash Screen: The initial screen seen when starting a game.
• Split Push: Strategy where a team splits up to attack multiple objectives.
• Spray Pattern: The pattern bullets make when continuously firing a weapon in FPS games.
• Squad: A small team in team-based games, smaller than a full team.
• Squishy: Characters that are easily killed due to low health or defenses.
• Strategy FPS: First-person shooters that heavily involve tactical gameplay.
• Strategy Guide: Resources or documents that provide game strategies.
• Stunlock: Continuously immobilizing a character.
• Surrender: Option to end a game early, admitting defeat.
• Tank: Character role focused on absorbing damage for the team.
• Tanky: Describing a character that can endure a lot of damage.
• Taunt: In-game actions or emotes to mock opponents.
• Team Comp: The combination of characters chosen by a team.
• Team Wipe: Situation where an entire team is defeated.
• Teammate: Another player on one’s team.
• Teching: Using a game mechanic to prevent being knocked down or reduce damage.
• Tier List: Ranking of game characters or items based on effectiveness.
• Tilt: Playing poorly due to emotional frustration or discouragement.
• Toggle: Switching a game feature on or off.
• Top Laner: Player position in MOBAs, typically taking the top lane.
• Toxic: Describes players who behave poorly or negatively.
• Toxicity: Negative behavior or attitude in gaming communities.
• Trading: Exchanging blows or damage with an opponent.
• Training Mode: A game mode for practicing skills or trying out characters.
• Training Wheels: Features or modes making a game easier for new players.
• Tri-Laning: Strategy in MOBAs where three players take the same lane.
• Turret Aggro: Drawing the attention of defensive towers in MOBAs.
• Turtling: Playing defensively, often by staying in one place.
• Twitch Gameplay: Fast-paced game scenarios requiring quick reactions.
• Twitch Reflexes: Extremely fast reactions in gaming.
• Twitch Skills: Game skills based on quick reactions.
• Ult (Ultimate): A character’s most powerful ability.
• Underpowered (UP): Characters or items considered weaker than others.
• Voice Chat: Speaking with other players through voice during gameplay.
• Voice Line: Pre-recorded phrases characters can say in-game.
• Wall Riding: Mechanic allowing characters to move along walls.
• Wallhack: Cheating software that allows players to see through walls.
• Walljump: Game mechanic allowing characters to jump off walls.
• Ward: Items in MOBAs that provide vision of an area.
• Wipe: When an entire team is defeated in a game.
• Wombo Combo: A combination of game moves that are highly damaging when used together.
• XP: Acronym for “Experience Points”; points earned toward leveling up.
• XP Rate: The speed at which a player earns experience points.
• Zerg Rush: Strategy of overwhelming the opponent with numerous weak units.
• Zoning: Controlling areas to limit enemy movement or vision.
• Zoning Ability: Skills used to control enemy movement or access to areas.