WoW Language Primer

MMORPGs are often (rightly so) labeled as virtual worlds. With these new worlds, comes a new way of speaking. A new language, if you will. Because almost all communication is through the chat channel and typed, then it is only natural that abbreviations come up for almost everything. In addition to that, there are many terms that only have meaning to those who play.

This guide is a ways to decipher all of the unknown words and abbreviations. Use this as a primer to the language of WoW. We've grouped these terms in sections with which they deal.

You can also find some of these terms in the Game Terms section of our WoW Wiki.

Character

Alt: Alternate character, usually lower level character that is armored by funds and the work of a main character.
Avatar: Another name for a player's character.
HP: Health points. The number of points left in a character's health bar.
Mana: The energy or force used to cast spells. Indicated by a blue bar in the character portrait. (MP: Mana Points)
Mule: An alternate character used to hold items or craft items for other characters played by the same person on the same account.
Toon: Synonym for Avatar.

Player Status

AFK: Away from Keyboard
Bio: Performing bodily functions (getting a drink, something to eat, etc)
BRB: Be right back.
DND: Do Not Disturb

Chat

FTL: For the Lose - usually indicating negativity about something.
FTW: For the Win
GG: Good going.
GJ: Good job (also great job).
GTG: Got to go.
IC: In character. Usually used on role-playing servers. It means that the person is speaking as their character.
LFG: Looking for group (usually a single person looking to group with others)
LFM: Looking for more (members for an existing party or raid); also LF#M (looking for # more people, used when needing a specific number of people for a party or raid)
OMW: On my way.
OOC: Out of character. Usually used on role-playing servers. It means that the person is speaking out of character.
PST: Please Send Tell (this means to whisper someone using the commands /w, /whisper, /t, or /tell)
QQ: Used to indicate that someone is crying or whining. Came about due to the resemblance to two eyes with tears.

Trade

AH: Auction House
c, s, g: copper, silver, gold; usually used after a number to designate price
CoD: You can send items through the mail CoD. This stands for Cash on Delivery. It allows items to be paid for once they are received through the mail. The amount is subtracted from the inventory of the person receiving the item and mailed to the person who sent the item. The person who mails the item sets the price when sending the mail.
WTB: Want to buy
WTS: Want to sell
WTT: Want to trade

Items

Ammo: Short for ammunition. Usually refers to arrows and bullets.
BOE: Bind on Equip. An item which becomes soulbound when equipped.
BOP: Bind on Pick-up. An item which becomes soulbound when picked up (placed in inventory).
BOU: Bind on Use. An item which becomes soulbound when used.
DE: Disenchant. An enchanting skill used to change an item into enchanting materials.
FR: Fire Resistance. Usually used in the term FR gear, which indicates gear with fire resistance.
Reagents: Items used to cast a spell or effect. Usually bought from reagent vendors.

Combat

Add: A term used when fighting to indicate an additional aggressive mob.
Aggro: Aggression - The monster is targeting you when you have aggro.
AoE: Area of Effect - A spell which covers an area, not just a specific target.
Bow Pull: A technique where a person with a ranged weapons (like a bow) will shoot one monster in order to draw the entire group. CC: Crowd control. A technique in which certain mobs in a group of mobs are controlled so as not to attack. This allows you to focus your fire on one mob at a time.
Critical Hit: A chance to do more damage with a skill or spell (also called crit).
DI: Divine Intervention - a paladin skill in which a person (usually a character that can resurrect) is bubbled and cannot do anything nor be damaged. This is used when a wipe is evident so that a group can more quickly recover.
Ice Trap Pull: A technique where a hunter will pull a group of monsters by drawing one into a freezing trap.
Instance: A dungeon area that is unique to the group that is in it.
Kiting: Moving around an area while holding the aggression (or aggro) of an opponent - keeping far enough away that you do not take to much damage, but that the enemy stays targeted to you.
LOS: Line of sight. Some abilities will not work unless you are in line of sight of the target.
Loot: The treasure that you find on the corpses of enemies.
Mob: Another word for monster or other enemy NPC.
OOM: Out of mana.
Owned: Killed thoroughly, completely and efficiently (also pwnt).
Pat: Patrol. Usually used when warning of an incoming patrol.
Pull: Bringing a mob within melee range of a group
Proc: The effect available when an item that has a chance to perform a special spell or effect releases the spell or effect.
Shackle Pull: A technique where a priest pulls a group by casting shackle on an undead mob.
Sheep Pull: A technique where a mage will pull a group of monsters by sheeping one of them.
Squishy: A character or enemy with a lower armor count. Easily killed with damage.
Stun Lock: A technique used by rogues to keep a person or monster stunned and helpless while the rogue kills them.

Groups

Buff: A spell or effect which is beneficial to a character.
Leroy, Leeroy Jenkins: A player who aggros a large group of mobs, usually resulting in a wipe of the group. Named such for the WoW player made famous for wiping his group in UBRS.
MH: Main Healer
ML: Master Looter. When the loot is set to master looter, this party member will decide who gets what.
MT: Main Tank.
Ninja: A party member who steals from the other party members. Usually by rolling need on all uncommon or better loot.
OT: Off tank. The group member that will tank a secondary enemy while the main tank is on a primary enemy.
PUG: Pick up Group. A group comprised of random people who have formed a party for the sole purpose of completing an objective.
Raid: A group of more than 5 (five) people, usually formed for the purpose of higher level dungeons.
Tank: A party member whose job is to keep all aggro on him/herself in order to allow other party members to do the damage without interruption.
Wipe: Term used when all members of a party have died in combat.

Dungeon Abbreviations

AQ: Ruins of Anh Qiraj (20 man) and Temple of Anh Qiraj (40 man) - Silithus
BFD: Blackfathom Depths - Ashenvale
BM: Black Morass - Second instance in the Caverns of Time - Tanaris
BRD: Blackrock Depths - Blacrock Mountain, Searing Gorge
BWL: Blackwing Lair - Blackrock Mountain, Searing Gorge
DM: Dire Maul - Feralas
LBRS: Lower Blackrock Spire - Blackrock Mountain, Searing Gorge
MC: Molten Core - Blackrock Mountain, searing Gorge
Naxx: Naxxramas - Eastern Plaguelands
ONY: Onyxia's Lair - Dustwallow Marsh, Theramore
RFC: Ragefire Chasm - Orgrimmar
RFD: Razorfen Downs - Barrens
RFK: Razorfen Krall - Barrens
Scholo: Scholomance - Western Plaguelands
SFK: Shadowfang Keep - Silverpine Forest
SL: Shadow Labrynth - Instance wing in Auchindoun
SM: Scarlet Monastery - Tirisfal Glades
SSC: Serpentshrine Cavern - Raid wing of Coilfang Reservoir - Zangarmarsh
ST: Sunken Temple, also known as the Temple of Atal'Hakkar - Swamp of Sorrows
Strat: Stratholme (UD Strat is the undead side of Stratholme, Live is the living side) - Eastern Plaguelands
UBRS: Upper Blackrock Spire - Blackrock Mountain, Searing Gorge
VC or DM: Van Cleef or Deadmines (the instance in Westfall is called both)
WC: Wailing Caverns - Barrens
ZF: Zul'Farrak - Tanaris
ZG: Zul'Gurub - Stranglethorn Vale

Battlegrounds

AB: Arathi Basin
AV: Alterac Valley
Battlemaster: NPC that will take you to the battleground or arena.
KOS: Kill on sight
Twink: An alternate character that is armored by funds and the work of a main character.
WSG: Warsong Gulch

Places

Darn: Darnassus
IF: Ironforge
Org: Orgrimmar
SS: Southshore
SW: Stormwind
TB: Thunder Bluff
TM: Tarren Mill
UC: Undercity
XR: Crossroads

Server Types

PvP: Player vs. Player. You are allowed to kill other player's characters on this type of server (without their approval).
PvE (or normal): Player vs. Environment. You are not allowed to kill other player's characters without their approval on this type of server.
RP (normal): Role-playing. In character speech is to be used on these servers and stricter naming rules are in place. In regards to PvP, the same ruleset as PvE servers is followed.
RP-PvP: A role-playing server with the PvP ruleset.

Other

Add-on (or Mod): Code written by volunteers to increase the functionality of the standard user interface in the game.
EULA: End User License Agreement. The rules you accept in order to play the game.
GM: Used for both Game Master and Guild Master. A game master is a person hired by Blizzard to regulate the game. When you submit a ticket, the game master receives and acts upon it. A guild master is the person in charge of a guild.
IRL: In real life.
Leet (1337): Indicating someone is elite. Came about from the spelling of elite (eleet) with numbers - 31337
Main: A player's main character; usually the character that a player plays most frequently.
Nerf: An act performed by the game developers which causes a class to lessen in some way (deal less damage, less healing, etc).
NPC: Non-Player Character.
PTR: Public Test Realm
Queue: The line in which you must wait to enter a full server.
Trainer: The NPC that you speak to in order to learn your skills.
Uber, Ubar: Very good, the best.
WOOT: We own other team; also a general term for anything good that happens in game

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