X Slang and Key Terms Explained

Follows, hashtags, and more important concepts on X

This language guide for X (formerly Twitter) can help anyone new to the platform by explaining its slang and lingo in plain English. Use it as a dictionary to look up any words or acronyms you don't understand.

A List of Common X Terms

Despite the company's name change to X, many old terms remain. Most people still refer to posts as "tweets," for example, and the same applies to "subtweets," "retweets," and other related terms.

@ Sign-- The @ sign is an important code on X, used to refer to individuals. It is combined with a username and inserted into posts to refer to that person or send them a public message. (Example: @username.) When @ precedes a username, it automatically gets linked to that user's profile page.

The Twitter and X logos

Twitter

Blocking: Blocking means preventing someone from following you or subscribing.

Direct Message, DM: A direct message is a private message to someone who is following you. These cannot be sent to anyone who is not following you. On the website, click the "message" menu and then "new message" to send a direct message.

Favorite: Favoriting is a feature that allows you to mark a post to easily see it later. Click the "Favorite" link (next to a star icon) beneath any post to favorite it.

#FF or Follow Friday: #FF refers to "Follow Friday," a tradition that involves users recommending people to follow on Fridays. Posts contain the hashtag #FF or #FollowFriday. The Guide to Follow Friday explains how to participate in #FF on X.

Follow, Follower: Following someone means you'll see their posts on your feed. A follower is someone who follows someone else. Learn more in this guide to followers on X.

Handle, Username: A handle is a name selected by an X user. It must contain fewer than 15 characters — this can be changed at any time. Each handle has a unique URL, with the handle added after x.com. Example: http://x.com/[username].

Hashtag: A hashtag refers to a topic, keyword or phrase preceded by the # symbol. An example is #skydivinglessons. Hashtags are used to categorize messages. Read a definition of hashtags or more about using hashtags on X.

Lists: Lists on X are collections of accounts or usernames which anyone can create. People can follow a list with one click and see a stream of all the posts sent by everyone on that list.

Mention: A mention refers to a tweet that includes a reference to any user by placing the @symbol in front of their handle or username. (Example: @username.) X tracks mentions of users when the @symbol is included in the message.

Modified Tweet or MT or MRT: This is basically a post that has been modified from the original. Sometimes when reposting, people have to shorten the original to make it fit while adding their own comments, so they truncate the original and add MT or MRT to signify the change.

Mute: The mute button does something different but somewhat similar to a block. It lets users block tweets from specific users-- while still being able to view any incoming messages from them or @mentions.

Profile: A profile is the page that displays information about a particular user.

Promoted: A promoted post is one that companies or businesses have paid to promote. They may appear at the top of search results.

Reply, @Reply: A reply on X is a direct response sent by clicking on the "reply" button that appears on another post, thus linking the two. Replies always start with "@username."

Retweet: A retweet (noun) means a post that had been forwarded or "re-sent" but was originally written and sent by someone else. To retweet (verb) means to send someone else's post to your followers. Retweeting is a common activity and reflects the popularity of individual posts; this term has remained even after the name change to X. How to Retweet.

RT: RT is an abbreviation for "retweet" that is used as a code and inserted into a message being re-sent to tell others that it's a repost. More about the retweet definition.

Short Code: On X, the shortcode refers to a 5-digit phone number that people use to send and receive tweets by SMS text messages on mobile phones. In the United States, for example, the code is 40404.

Subtweet/subtweeting: A subtweet refers to a post written about a particular person, but containing no direct mention of that person. It's usually cryptic to others, but intelligible to the person it's about and people who know them well.

TBT or Throwback Thursday: TBT is a popular hashtag on X (it stands for Throwback Thursday) and other social networks that people use to reminisce about the past by sharing photos and other information from years gone by.

Timeline: A timeline is a list of posts that are dynamically updated, with the most recent appearing at the top. Each user has a timeline of content from the people they follow, which appears on their homepage. The list appearing there is called a "home timeline."

Top Tweets: These are posts that the platform deems to be most popular at any moment based on a secret algorithm. Popularity comes from replies, likes, retweets, and other interactions.

TOS: The Terms of Service is a legal document each user must accept when they create an account. It outlines the rights and responsibilities for users on the social messaging service.

Trending Topic: Trending topics on ones people are posting about that are deemed most popular at any given moment. They appear on the right side of your homepage. In addition to the official "trending topics" list, many third-party tools are available for tracking the most popular keywords and hashtags.

Tweep: Tweep at its most literal sense means a follower. It's also used to refer to groups of people who follow one another. Sometimes, "tweep" can refer to a beginner.

Tweet: Tweet (noun) is a message posted on X with 280 or fewer characters, also called a post or an update. Tweet (verb) means to post something on the platform. Despite the site branding changing to X, most people still call posts tweets.

Twitterati: Twitterati is slang for popular users, people who usually have large groups of followers and are well known.

Twitosphere: The Twitosphere (sometimes spelled "Twittosphere" or even "Twittersphere") is the complete set of all users on the platform.

Twitterverse: Twitterverse is a mashup of Twitter and universe. It refers to the entire universe of Twitter, including all its users, posts and cultural conventions.

Unfollow: To unfollow means to stop following another person's tweets. You un-follow people by clicking on following on your homepage to see your list of followed accounts. Then mouse over Following to the right of any user's name and click the reed Unfollow button.

Username: A username is the same thing as a handle. It's the name each person selects to use the platform and must contain fewer than 15 characters.

Verified Account: In the Twitter days, "verified" meant that someone had proven that they were who they claimed to be; verified accounts got blue checkmarks next to them. Now, the checkmark means that a person has a paid subscription to the website (or Twitter has granted it to them, usually for having a lot of followers).

WCW : #WCE is a popular hashtag on several social networks that stands for "women crush Wednesday" and refers to a meme in which people post photos of women they like or admire.

Who to Follow: This feature helps users find friends and other people to follow. Click Who to Follow at the top of your homepage to start finding people.

Was this page helpful?