Appendix:English internet slang

This is a list of both complete and abbreviated English Internet slang. Some of the abbreviations listed are not confined to the Internet, but are used in shorthand as well. Many come from specialized types of shorthand, such as military activities, scientific work, or medical terminology.

0–9

 * 1337: From the word Leet, derived from the word elite
 * 2: too, or to
 * 4: For
 * 10q: Thank you
 * 10x: Thanks

A

 * A C?: AH! SI?
 * AAF: As A Friend
 * ADAD: Another Day Another Dollar
 * ADIH: Another Day In Hell
 * ADIP: Another Day in Paradise
 * AEAP: As Early As Possible
 * AF: As fuck
 * AFAICR: As far as I can recall / remember
 * AFAICS: As far as I can see
 * AFAICT: As far as I can tell
 * AFAIK: As far as I know
 * AFAIR: As far as I remember
 * AFAIU: As far as I understand
 * AFAIUI: As far as I understand it
 * AFAP: As Far As Possible
 * AFK: Away from keyboard
 * ALOL: Actually laughing out loud
 * ASAP: As soon as possible
 * ASL or A/S/L: Age / sex / location
 * ASLP or A/S/L/P: Age, sex, location, picture
 * ATEOTD: At The End of the Day
 * ATB: All the best
 * ATFQ: Answer the fucking / full question
 * ATM: At the moment
 * AWOL: Absent Without (Official) Leave
 * AYBABTU (also abbreviated as AYB): all your base are belong to us (from the video game Zero Wing)

B

 * B2B: Business to Business
 * B2C: Business to Customer
 * B4: Before
 * BBIAB: Be back in a bit
 * BBQ: Barbecue. While not Internet slang in itself, it is often combined with other initialisms as a point of satire, absurdity, or a non-sequitur. For example OMG WTF BBQ.
 * BBL/BBS: Be back later / shortly / soon
 * BCNU: Be seein' you
 * BF: Best Friend / Boyfriend
 * BFF: Best Friends Forever
 * BFN: Bye For Now
 * blog: Also known as web log or an online journal
 * BOFH: Bastard operator from hell
 * bot: Any type of automated software in chatrooms and web-cataloging software
 * BRB: Be right back
 * BSOD: Blue Screen of Death
 * BTDT: Been there done that
 * BTTT: Back to the top
 * BTW: By the way
 * bump: Increment (for example, C's ++ operator.) or a backronym for "Bring Up My Post"

C

 * CMIIW: Correct me if I'm wrong
 * COB: Close Of Business
 * crawl: To retrieve a web page along with the hyperlinks that reference it
 * crapplet: A poorly written computer application
 * crapware: Unwanted software that is often installed with another program
 * CU: See you (later)
 * CYA: See ya OR Cover Your Ass
 * cyber- (prefix): A term used to connect the subsequent word loosely to the world of computers or the Internet or sex over a computer
 * cyberspace: Virtual reality, the Internet, the World Wide Web, and other kinds of computer systems. Science fiction author William Gibson popularized the term in his novel Neuromancer. Gibson used the word to describe a virtual world of computer networks that his cyberpunk heroes 'jacked into'

D

 * DFTT: Don't feed the trolls
 * DFTBA: Don't forget to be awesome
 * DGAF: Don't give a fuck
 * DIAF: Die in a fire
 * DILLIGAF/D/S: Does it look like I give a flip / fuck / damn / shit
 * D/L: Download
 * DND: Do not disturb
 * DOA: Dead on arrival. Refers to hardware that is broken on delivery.

E

 * ELI5: Explain like I'm Five
 * ESAD: eat shit and die

F

 * F9: Fine
 * FAQ: Frequently Asked Question(s)
 * FFS: For fuck's sake
 * flamer: Someone who makes inflammatory, abusive or directly offensive comments. Similar to, but not quite the same as an Internet troll.
 * FMCDH: From my cold, dead hands
 * FML: Fuck my life.
 * FOAD: Fuck off and die
 * FOAF: Friend of a friend
 * FTFY: Fixed that for you
 * FTR: For the record
 * FTL: For the loss
 * FTW: For the win
 * FTW?: Can be construed as "Fuck the what?" (reversal of WTF?, implies increased confusion)
 * FU: Fuck you
 * FUBAR: Fucked up beyond all recognition / repair (from military slang; pronounced "foo-bar")
 * FUD: Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt (the purposeful spread of misinformation)
 * FWIW: For what it's worth
 * FYI: For your information

G

 * GBTW: Get back to work
 * GF: Girlfriend
 * GFU: Good for you
 * GFY: Go fuck yourself
 * GG: Good game, used at or near the conclusion of a gaming match
 * GGS: Good games
 * GIYF: Google is your friend: a suggestion that somebody could find something out using an Internet search engine, rather than asking others.
 * GJ: Good job, often used in online gaming when a teammate performs an act benefitting his team, such as killing an opponent or enabling that kill
 * GL: Good luck, used before commencing a game
 * GMTA: Great minds think alike
 * Godwin's law: Dictates that the longer a thread, the more likely someone will post a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler
 * GR: Good Race, Good Round
 * GR8: Great
 * gratz: Congratulations
 * GTFO: Get the fuck out
 * GTG or G2G: 'Got to go' or 'Good to go'

H

 * HBU: how (a)bout you?
 * HAND: have a nice day
 * handle: Name used in online chat, (AKA nick(name), alias, screen/user name)
 * HF: Have fun
 * haxor or H4x0r (1337): Hacker
 * hit: A request made to the web server, (noun) the results of an Internet search, (verb) loading a Web page. Hits are not equivalent to visitors of a webpage.
 * home page: The website's introduction page, starting point, and guide. The technical term is "index"
 * hot list: A collection of publicly available URLs (World Wide Web site addresses), sometimes available as text files.
 * HTH: Hope this / that helps

I

 * IANAL: I am not a lawyer
 * IBTL: In before the lock
 * IDGAF: I don't give a fuck
 * IDK: I don't know
 * IG: I guess
 * IHT: I had to
 * IIRC: If I recall / remember correctly
 * IIUC: If I understand correctly
 * ILY: I love you
 * IMAO: In my arrogant opinion
 * IMO: In my opinion
 * IMHO: In my humble / honest opinion
 * IMNSHO: In my not so humble opinion
 * inb4: In before... (someone else says or does something)
 * information superhighway: The Internet (AKA: I-way, infobahn)
 * IOW: In other words
 * IRC: Internet Relay Chat
 * IRL: In real life
 * ISTM: It seems to me
 * ITYM: I Think You Mean
 * IWSN: I want sex now
 * IYDMMA: If you don't mind my asking
 * IYKWIM: If you know what I mean

J

 * jaggy: aliased computer graphics
 * JAS: Just a sec
 * JFGI: just fu..ing google it!
 * JFTR: Just for the record
 * JK or j/k: Just kidding, or joke;
 * JTLYK: Just to let you know

K

 * k or kk: OK
 * KISS: Keep it simple stupid
 * kms: kill myself
 * KOS: Kill on sight
 * KTHX: OK, thanks
 * kthxbye: OK, thanks, goodbye, used either to cut short a conversation or to express displeasure with being cut short
 * KYS: kill yourself

L

 * l8r: Later, L8R also sometimes abbreviated as L8ER is commonly used in chat rooms and other text based communications as a way of saying good bye
 * lag: Slang term for slow Internet speeds or high Internet latency; Lag is sometimes due to a server problem, but more frequently due to the connection between client and server. A slow or intermittent connection may often be referred to as laggy
 * lamer: A know-nothing, one who is lame.
 * leet: Often spelled as l33t or 1337. Originally short for 'elite'
 * LFG: Looking for group
 * LFM: Looking for more
 * LMAO: Laughing my ass off
 * LMBO: Laughing my butt off
 * LMFAO: Laughing my fucking ass off
 * LMGTFY: Let me Google that for you
 * LMIRL: Let's meet in real life.
 * LMK: Let me know
 * LOL: Laughing out loud, laugh out loud
 * LTNS: Long time no see
 * lulz: Corruption of LOL
 * lurker: Someone who reads only but does not write and/or load up anything in a community, group or discussion
 * LYLAB: Love you like a brother.
 * LYLAS: Love you like a sister.

M

 * MFW: My face when (Usually accompanied by an image)
 * MMO: Massive Multi-player Online [game]
 * MMORPG: MMO + RPG (Massive Multi-player Online Role-Playing Game). The most frequent genre of MMO.
 * MOTD: Message of the day
 * MTFBWY: May The Force be with you
 * MUD: Multi-User Dungeon
 * MUSH: Multi-User Shared Hallucination
 * MYOB: Mind your own business
 * M8: Mate

N

 * N1: Nice one, used mostly often in gaming
 * NE1: "Anyone"
 * newbie, newb, n00b: An inexperienced user of a system or game, or an annoying person. Usually a derogatory term for someone inexperienced at a game.
 * NGL: Not gonna lie
 * NIFOC: Naked In Front Of Computer
 * NM: (Sometimes written N/M)
 * 1: Never mind
 * 2: no message, used on message boards or in e-mails to indicate that everything is already said in the subject line.
 * 3: Not much


 * namewaster: person who abandons an account shortly after its creation
 * n0rp: Alternate form of pr0n, intentional misspelling of porn
 * NP: No problem
 * NS: Nice shot. Used in online gaming.
 * NSOH: No sense of humor.
 * NSFW: Not safe for work. Warning about content that may get the viewer in trouble with his employer or co-workers.
 * NVM, NVMD, or nm: Nevermind, not much

O

 * O RLY: Oh really?
 * OIC: Oh, I see
 * OFN: Old freaking news
 * OMG: Oh my God
 * OMFG: Oh my fucking God
 * OMGWTF: Oh my God what the fuck
 * OMGWTFBBQ: Oh my God what the fuck barbecue
 * OMW: On my way or Oh my word
 * ONOZ: Oh, no
 * OP: Original poster / Operator / Outpost / Overpowered
 * OS: Operating system
 * OT: Off topic
 * OTB: Off to bed
 * OTOH: On the other hand
 * OTP: On the phone or One true pairing or On The Piss

P

 * P2P: Peer to peer, or pay to play
 * PAW: Parents are watching
 * PEBKAC/PEBCAK: Problem exists between keyboard and chair
 * PITA: Pain in the arse / ass
 * PLMK: Please let me know
 * PM: Private message
 * PMSL: Pissing myself laughing
 * pog/poggers: An expression of shock or excitement
 * POS: Piece of shit, or parent over shoulder.
 * POTS: Plain old telephone service
 * POV: Point of view
 * PL: Powerleveling, used in online games.
 * PPL: People
 * pr0n: Intentional misspelling of porn
 * PW: Persistent World (gaming)
 * pwned: Intentional misspelling of owned

Q

 * QFT: Quoted for truthiness—either to show satire or agreement with something satiric.
 * QWP: (texting) Quit Whining, Please. (gaming) equip (verb) / equipment (noun).

R

 * rehi (or merely re): Hello again
 * RL: Real Life
 * RMS: Ride me sideways
 * ROFL/ROTFL: Rolling on (the) floor laughing
 * ROFLCOPTER: Indicate extreme amusement
 * ROFLMAO/ROTFLMAO: Rolling on (the) floor laughing my ass off
 * ROFLOL/ROTFLOL: Rolling on (the) floor laughing out loud
 * RSN: Real soon now (used sarcastically)
 * RTFB: Read the fucking binary (or book)
 * RTFS: Read the fucking source
 * RTFM/RTM: Read the (fucking/fine) manual or reboot the (fucking) machine

S

 * sauce: source, particularly when asking for the source of an image or other posted material online.
 * SCNR: Sorry, could not resist
 * SFW: Safe for Work, see NSFW
 * sk8/sk8r/sk8er: skate/skater
 * smiley: Another name for emoticons
 * SMH: Shaking my head
 * SNAFU: Situation normal: all (fucked/fouled) up
 * snail mail: Normal paper mail service
 * SOHF: Sense of humor failure
 * SOS: Someone (watching) Over Shoulder
 * spider: The program behind a search engine
 * STFU: Shut the fuck up
 * STFW: Search the fucking web

T

 * TANSTAAFL: There ain't no such thing as a free lunch, a quote originally from Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
 * TBF: To be fair, Time between failures
 * TBH: To be honest
 * TFW: That feel when
 * TG: That's great
 * TGIF: Thank God it's Friday
 * THX/THNX, TNX or TX: Thanks
 * TIA: Thanks in advance
 * TIL: Today I learned
 * TIMWTK: This inquiring mind wants to know
 * TINC: There Is No Cabal, a term discouraging conspiracy theories
 * TINS: There is no spoon
 * TL;DR: Too Long; Didn't Read
 * TMI: Too much information
 * toobs: Internets (refering to the Internet as a series of tubes)
 * TOS: Terms of service
 * TTBOMK: To the best of my knowledge
 * TTFN: Ta ta for now
 * TTYL: Talk to you later (also spelled TTUL, T2UL or T2YL)
 * TTYN: Talk to you never
 * TTYS: Talk to you soon
 * tweedler: One who has deep love for all computer related technology and gadgets
 * TY: Thank you
 * TYT: Take your time
 * TYVM: Thank you very much

U

 * U: You
 * UTFSE: Use the fucking search engine
 * UGO: You got Owned
 * URS: You Really Suck

W

 * w00t, w00T or WOOT: First two express exuberance, the last is a backronym for the term "We Own the Other Team".
 * W/ or W/O: With or without
 * WB: Welcome back
 * WBU: What (a)bout you
 * WDYM: What do you mean?
 * W/E: Whatever
 * W/E: Weekend
 * WRT: With respect / regard to
 * WTB: Want to buy
 * WTF: What the fuck
 * WTG: Way to go
 * WTH: What the hell
 * WTS: Want to sell
 * WTT: Want to trade
 * WUG: What you got?
 * WUBU2: What (have) you been up to?
 * WUU2: What (are) you up to?
 * WYD: What (are) you doing?
 * WYSIWYG: What you see is what you get
 * W8: Wait

Y

 * YAGNI: You Ain't Gonna Need It.
 * YAGTOH: you are going to own him.
 * YGM: You've Got Mail.
 * YHBT: You have been trolled.
 * YKW: You know what?
 * YMMV: Your mileage may vary.
 * YOLO: You Only Live Once.
 * YOYO: You're On Your Own.
 * YTMND: You're The Man Now, Dog
 * YW: You're welcome.

Z

 * ZOMG: An intentional misspelling of the acronym shorthand for "Oh My God" and pronounced "Zoh My God" This version is mainly used in jest or to ridicule people who use abbreviations like OMG and OMFG

Others

 * <3: Love