Gamer Dictionary
Learn the meaning of popular gaming terms used by players around the world. Click any term to explore its full definition, examples, and related terms.
AAA
High-budget games produced by major studios, often with large marketing campaigns.
AFK
Stands for “Away From Keyboard,” indicating a player is temporarily inactive.
Aggro
Short for “aggression,” referring to enemies targeting a player or a player drawing enemy attention.
Aimbot
A cheat tool that automatically aims at opponents in shooters.
AoE (Area of Effect)
An attack or ability that affects multiple targets within a specific area.
Battle Royale
A genre where players compete to be the last person or team standing on a shrinking map.
Buff or Debuff
A temporary enhancement (buff) or hindrance (debuff) to a character’s stats or abilities.
Camping
Staying in one position to ambush opponents, often frowned upon.
DPS (Damage Per Second)
A measure of damage output or a role focused on dealing high damage.
GG (Good Game)
A polite phrase used at match end to acknowledge sportsmanship.
Grinding
Repeating tasks to gain experience, loot, or in-game currency.
Nerf
Reducing the power of a game element to balance gameplay.
PvP or PvE
Player vs Player (competitive) or Player vs Environment (cooperative) gameplay modes.
RNG (Random Number Generator)
Mechanics that determine random outcomes, such as loot drops or critical hits.
Tanking
A role focused on absorbing damage and protecting teammates.
Indie Games
Games created by small teams or individuals without major publisher funding.
Publisher
A company that finances, markets, and distributes games.
Triple-A
Another way to denote AAA games—high budget, top-tier quality.
BRB
“Be Right Back,” used to indicate a short, temporary departure.
Logout
Exiting or signing out of a game session.
Inactivity
Not performing any actions in-game for a period.
Threat
A metric in many MMOs that measures how likely enemies are to target you.
Enemy AI
The programmed behavior of non-player opponents in games.
Cheating
Using unauthorized methods or software to gain unfair advantage.
Hacks
Software modifications that alter game code or behavior for unfair advantage.
Anti-Cheat
Software systems designed to detect and prevent cheating.
Splash Damage
Damage dealt to multiple targets from an explosion or area attack.
Crowd Control
Abilities that impair or limit movement/actions of multiple enemies.
Healing Circle
An ability that heals all allies within a certain radius.
PvP
Player vs Player mode where human players compete against each other.
Survival
A gameplay mode focused on enduring threats with limited resources.
Loot
Items dropped by enemies or found in the environment that players can collect.
Status Effect
Temporary conditions that alter a character’s state, like poison or stun.
Balancing
Adjusting game elements to ensure fair and fun gameplay.
Tactical Positioning
Choosing strategic locations to gain a combat advantage.
Ambush
A surprise attack from a concealed position.
Spawn Kill
Killing opponents immediately after they respawn, often considered unfair.
Burst Damage
High burst of damage in a short time, often to eliminate targets quickly.
Healer
A role focused on restoring health to teammates.
Farming
Repeating actions to gather resources or experience efficiently.
XP
Short for experience points, used to level up characters.
Co-op
Short for cooperative play where players team up against AI enemies.
Raid
A large group mission against powerful bosses or objectives.
MMO
Massively Multiplayer Online game, featuring large numbers of players in the same world.
Loot Tables
Data that defines what items can drop from enemies and their probabilities.
Procedural Generation
Algorithmic creation of game content (levels, items) to achieve variety.
Luck
A stat or mechanic influencing random outcomes in a game.
Tank
A character/role designed to absorb damage and protect allies.
WP (Well Played)
A compliment acknowledging skillful play.
Sportsmanship
Respectful behavior toward players, win or lose.
FTW (For the Win)
Expressing confidence in a winning action.
Meta
The dominant strategy or playstyle.
DPS
Role focused on dealing damage.
Crowdfunding
Funding games via community donations.
Developer
Creator/studio behind a game.
Be Right Back
Temporary absence from the game.
Exit Game
Leaving the game session entirely.
Threat Meter
Tracks enemy aggression toward players.
Bot
AI-controlled player substitute.
Fair Play
Adhering to rules and ethics.
Blast Radius
Area affected by an explosion.
Disable
Temporarily hinder an enemy.
Heal Over Time
Gradual health restoration.
PvE
Player vs. environment content.
Duel
1v1 competitive match.
Horde Mode
Survive endless enemy waves.
Gear
Equipment affecting stats/abilities.
Drop Rate
Probability of an item dropping.
Cover
Protection from attacks.
Stealth
Avoiding detection.
Kill Zone
High-risk area for instant death.
Respawn Protection
Brief invincibility after revival.
Cooldown
Delay before reusing an ability.
Skill Combo
Chaining abilities for maximum effect.
Support
Role focused on aiding allies.
Resource Management
Efficient use of in-game resources.
Level Cap
Maximum achievable level.
Dungeon
Instanced PvE area with objectives.
Boss Fight
Climactic battle against a powerful enemy.
Guild
Organized group of players.
Replayability
Incentive to play repeatedly.
Stat Allocation
Distributing points to character stats.
Chance
Randomness affecting outcomes.