The Weedly Glossary
Cannabis has its own language — part science, part street, part farm. Whether your country just legalized and you’re reading the word “terpene” for the first time, or you can taste the difference between live resin and rosin blindfolded, this A–Z covers the 419 terms worth knowing. Each entry is tagged by level, and the trivia boxes are for winning arguments at the sesh.
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1 Gram Newbie
The smallest common flower unit and the standard size of a single pre-roll. A good way to sample a new strain without committing.
10 mg Rule Newbie
Canada’s cap on total THC per package of edibles. It’s why legal gummies come in 2 mg or 2.5 mg pieces — see our edibles guide.
11-Hydroxy-THC Veteran
The metabolite your liver converts THC into when you eat it. More potent and longer-lasting than inhaled THC — the scientific reason edibles hit different.
18650 Intermediate
The lithium battery cell format inside many vaporizers and mods. Swappable 18650s let power users carry spares.
18:1 Ratio Veteran
A very high-CBD to low-THC ratio (think ACDC-type flower) aimed at relief with almost no intoxication — a medical favorite.
1:1 Ratio Intermediate
A product with equal parts THC and CBD. The classic balanced recommendation for anxious newcomers, since CBD softens THC’s sharper edges.
20:1 Ratio Intermediate
A high-CBD, very-low-THC ratio aimed at therapeutic effects without a meaningful high.
2:1 CBD:THC Intermediate
A CBD-forward ratio offering mild relief with minimal intoxication. Popular in wellness and daytime products.
3.5 Grams Newbie
An eighth of an ounce — the single most common retail flower quantity. If a menu lists a price with no weight, it’s usually this.
30 Grams Newbie
Canada’s legal public possession limit for dried cannabis (or its equivalent). Know your local number before you carry — it varies by country and state.
420 Newbie
Global code for cannabis and April 20th, the unofficial holiday. Origin: a group of 1971 San Rafael high-schoolers — the ‘Waldos’ — who met at 4:20 pm to hunt a rumored abandoned crop.
5-HT / Serotonin Veteran
The mood neurotransmitter some cannabinoids appear to modulate — part of why cannabis affects anxiety and appetite. Still an active research area.
707 Veteran
Slang and branding tied to California’s Humboldt County (area code 707), the historic heartland of American craft cannabis.
710 Intermediate
Dab culture’s own holiday number — ‘710’ upside down spells OIL. July 10th is the concentrate community’s 4/20.
805 Glass Veteran
Enthusiast shorthand for a regional style of high-end functional glass, named for the California area code.
99 Percent Intermediate
Shorthand for isolate-grade purity (99%+ THC or CBD). If a label brags ‘99%’, it’s almost certainly refined crystalline, not flower.
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Access Point Intermediate
A licensed location where consumers can legally purchase cannabis — called a dispensary in the U.S. and a cannabis retail store in Canada. See how retail works in our Canada coverage.
Adult-Use Newbie
The industry term for recreational (non-medical) cannabis — legal for adults over a set age, no prescription required.
Aeration Intermediate
Introducing oxygen to a grow’s root zone or nutrient solution to keep roots healthy — critical in hydroponic and aeroponic systems.
Aeroponics Veteran
A soil-free cultivation method where roots hang in air and are misted with nutrient solution. Produces fast growth and is prized by commercial growers for clean root zones.
Aftertaste Newbie
The flavor left on your palate after exhaling. Clean, terpene-rich flower leaves a pleasant one; harsh or badly cured weed leaves a chemical or hay-like finish.
Airflow Newbie
How freely air moves through a joint, pipe or vape. Good airflow means a smooth, even draw; a tight roll or clogged bowl kills it.
Alcohol Extraction Veteran
Using ethanol as a solvent to strip cannabinoids and terpenes from plant material, later purged to create concentrates such as RSO and distillate.
Amber Trichomes Newbie
When the resin glands turn from milky to amber, the flower is at peak ripeness and leans more sedating. Growers read this color to time harvest.
Anandamide Veteran
The body’s own ‘bliss molecule’ (N-arachidonoylethanolamine), an endocannabinoid that binds the same receptors THC does. Its name comes from ananda, Sanskrit for joy.
Ancillary Business Intermediate
A company that serves the cannabis industry without touching the plant — packaging, software, security, media. The ‘picks and shovels’ of the green rush.
Anther Veteran
The pollen-producing part of a male cannabis flower. Spotting anthers early lets growers cull males before they pollinate a sinsemilla crop.
Aroma Newbie
The smell profile of a cannabis flower — from citrus and pine to diesel and skunk — driven mostly by its terpenes. A loud, complex aroma is usually a sign of well-grown, well-cured flower.
Ash Catcher Veteran
A bong attachment that traps ash and resin in a separate chamber before smoke reaches the main water, keeping your piece cleaner for longer.
Atomizer Intermediate
The heating element in a vaporizer that turns oil or concentrate into vapor. When a cart ‘burns out’, it’s usually the atomizer.
Autoflower Intermediate
A cannabis variety (bred from Cannabis ruderalis) that flowers on age rather than light schedule, letting growers harvest in as little as 8–10 weeks.
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Backcross (BX) Veteran
Breeding a hybrid back to one of its parents to lock in desired traits — how stable seed lines are made.
Backcrossing Line Veteran
A stabilized seed line produced by repeatedly breeding offspring back to a parent — how breeders ‘lock’ a desirable trait for consistent production.
Badder / Budder Intermediate
A cannabis concentrate whipped to a soft, frosting-like texture. Sits between crumble and sauce on the texture spectrum.
Bag Appeal Intermediate
How enticing flower looks and smells straight out of the package — color, frost, aroma, structure. Marketers chase it; smart buyers look past it to lab data.
Ballast Intermediate
The device that regulates power to an HID grow light. The wrong ballast can cook a crop or waste electricity.
Battery (510-Thread) Newbie
The rechargeable pen that powers a vape cartridge. ‘510-thread’ is the near-universal screw standard — most carts fit most batteries.
BHO Veteran
Butane hash oil — a potent solvent-based concentrate family that includes shatter, wax and crumble. Professional closed-loop extraction only; never attempt at home.
Blunt Newbie
Cannabis rolled in a tobacco-leaf wrap (traditionally a hollowed cigar). Burns slower than a joint and carries tobacco’s risks and nicotine.
Bong Newbie
A water pipe that filters and cools smoke through water before inhalation. One of the oldest consumption tools — water pipes date back centuries in Asia and Africa. Browse modern picks in Gear.
Bowl Newbie
The part of a pipe or bong where flower is packed and lit — and the unit of a shared session (‘who’s got the next bowl?’).
Bract Veteran
The tear-shaped floral structure that houses the seed in female plants; the most resinous part of the flower and what most people actually mean by ‘calyx’.
Broad-Spectrum Intermediate
An extract keeping most cannabinoids and terpenes but with THC removed — the middle ground between full-spectrum and isolate.
Bubble Hash Veteran
Solventless hash made by agitating flower in ice water so trichomes break off, then filtering through mesh ‘bubble bags’. Graded by how fully it melts.
Bubbler Intermediate
A hand pipe with a small built-in water chamber — bong-smooth hits in pocket-sized glass.
Bud Newbie
The dried, smokable flower of the female cannabis plant — the part rich in cannabinoids and terpenes.
Budtender Newbie
The retail specialist behind the counter at a dispensary who guides customers through strains, formats and dosing. A good budtender is a newcomer’s best friend.
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Calyx Intermediate
Commonly used to describe the resin-rich floral clusters of the bud (botanically, most of what’s called calyx is actually bracts).
Cannabidiol (CBD) Newbie
The second-most-famous cannabinoid. Non-intoxicating, studied for calm, inflammation and seizure disorders (the FDA-approved drug Epidiolex is purified CBD). Learn the basics in our Learn section.
Cannabinoids Newbie
The family of active compounds in cannabis — more than 100 identified, including THC, CBD, CBG, CBN and CBC — that interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system.
Cannabis indica Newbie
One of the main cannabis types, classically associated with shorter, bushier plants and relaxing, body-forward effects. Scientific name: Cannabis sativa subsp. indica. See our indica reviews.
Cannabis ruderalis Veteran
A hardy, low-THC cannabis type from Central Asia/Russia whose auto-flowering genetics power modern autoflower breeding.
Cannabis sativa Newbie
The species name for cannabis; in everyday use, ‘sativa’ describes taller plants and energizing, cerebral effects. Scientific name: Cannabis sativa L., classified by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.
Capsules Newbie
Pre-measured cannabis oil in swallowable pill form. The most precise, discreet, lung-free format — popular with medical and wellness consumers.
Carb Cap Intermediate
A dabbing accessory placed over a heated nail to restrict airflow and vaporize concentrate at lower, tastier temperatures.
Caryophyllene Intermediate
The peppery, spicy terpene (beta-caryophyllene) found in black pepper and cloves — the only terpene known to bind cannabinoid receptors directly.
CB1 & CB2 Receptors Veteran
The two main receptors of the endocannabinoid system: CB1 concentrated in the brain (where THC binds), CB2 in immune tissue. Every cannabis effect starts at one of these locks.
CBC Veteran
Cannabichromene — a non-intoxicating minor cannabinoid being studied for anti-inflammatory and mood-related properties.
CBDA Veteran
Cannabidiolic acid — the raw, unheated form of CBD found in fresh plants, converted to CBD by decarboxylation. A rising star in raw-juicing and wellness research.
CBG Intermediate
Cannabigerol, the ‘mother cannabinoid’: the plant makes CBGA first, then converts it into THC, CBD and others. Non-intoxicating and increasingly bred for on its own.
CBN Intermediate
Cannabinol — formed as THC ages and oxidizes. Mildly psychoactive and marketed in sleep products, though evidence is still early.
Certificate of Analysis (COA) Intermediate
A lab report verifying a product’s cannabinoid potency and screening for pesticides, mold and heavy metals. Reputable brands publish COAs — always check one before buying hemp-derived products online.
Chemdawg 91 Veteran
A specific 1991 phenotype of the legendary Chemdawg line — a genetic cornerstone behind OG Kush and Sour Diesel.
Chillum Intermediate
A straight, cone-shaped pipe used for small quick sessions; originated with Indian sadhus centuries ago.
CHS Veteran
Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome — a rare condition in heavy long-term consumers causing cyclical nausea and vomiting, relieved only by stopping use. If chronic use plus mystery nausea sounds familiar, talk to a doctor.
Cinderella 99 Veteran
A beloved late-’90s sativa (Jack Herer × Shiva Skunk) prized for tropical flavor and dreamy energy. Browse sativa reviews.
Clone Intermediate
A cutting from a ‘mother’ plant rooted into a genetically identical new plant — how growers preserve prized genetics.
Closed-Loop Extraction Veteran
Professional extraction equipment that recycles solvents in a sealed system — the safe, licensed way BHO and PHO are made. The existence of this term is why ‘never open-blast at home’ is rule one.
CO2 Oil Intermediate
Concentrate extracted with pressurized carbon dioxide — no solvent residue, clean flavor, and the workhorse behind many early vape carts.
Cola Intermediate
The dense cluster of buds at the top of a main stem; the ‘crown’ of the plant and usually its best flower.
Concentrates Intermediate
Products made by concentrating cannabis resin — shatter, wax, rosin, hash, distillate and more. Far more potent than flower; start tiny.
Couch-lock Newbie
Deep body sedation where getting off the sofa feels like a project. Classic effect of heavy indicas and high doses.
Cross Intermediate
A strain bred from two parent strains, e.g., Wedding Cake = Triangle Kush × Animal Mints. The lineage chart of modern strains looks like a royal family tree.
Crumble Intermediate
A dry, honeycomb-textured BHO concentrate that breaks into crumbs — easy to sprinkle over a bowl.
Crystalline Veteran
Isolated THCA or CBD refined into pure crystals — up to 99%+ potency with zero terpenes, usually recombined with ‘sauce’ for flavor.
Cultivar Intermediate
The technically correct term for what most people call a ‘strain’ — a cultivated variety bred for specific traits.
Curing Intermediate
The slow, controlled drying and aging of harvested flower in containers, developing smoothness, flavor and shelf life. Rushed curing is why cheap weed smells like hay.
D
Dab Intermediate
A single dose of concentrate vaporized on a hot surface and inhaled. Potent, fast and not for beginners.
Dab Rig Intermediate
A water pipe purpose-built for concentrates, using a heated nail or banger instead of a bowl. See picks in Gear.
Dabber Intermediate
The small tool (metal, glass or quartz) used to pick up a dab of concentrate and place it on the hot nail.
Dank Newbie
Slang for excellent, pungent, high-quality cannabis. If someone calls your flower ‘dank’, take the compliment.
Decarboxylation Intermediate
Heating raw cannabis (~110°C/230°F) to convert THCA into activated THC. Raw flower won’t get you high — ‘decarbing’ is why edibles recipes bake the flower first.
Delta-10 THC Veteran
Another hemp-derived THC isomer, milder than delta-8, sold in gray-market states. Same caveats: patchy regulation, variable quality — demand a COA.
Delta-8 THC Veteran
A milder THC isomer usually synthesized from hemp CBD, sold in loosely regulated markets. Legal gray zone in the U.S.; prohibited in many places. Buyer beware and check COAs.
Delta-9 THC Newbie
The primary intoxicating cannabinoid — when people say THC, they mean delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol.
Diamond Mining Veteran
The concentrate technique of growing THCA crystals (‘diamonds’) out of a terpene-rich sauce over days or weeks.
Diamonds Veteran
Crystalline THCA formations grown in terpene-rich ‘sauce’. Among the most potent concentrates available — often 95%+ THCA.
Dime Bag Newbie
Old-market slang for roughly $10 of cannabis. A relic of pre-legalization pricing you’ll still hear in songs and movies.
Dispensary Newbie
U.S. term for a licensed cannabis store, medical or recreational. In Canada, the licensed term is cannabis retail store.
Distillate Intermediate
A highly refined, nearly pure THC or CBD oil with terpenes stripped out — the workhorse of vape carts and edibles.
Downstem Intermediate
The glass tube connecting a bong’s bowl to its water chamber. Diffused downstems with slits break smoke into finer bubbles for smoother hits.
Drawdown Veteran
The gradual dip in reservoir nutrient levels as plants feed — a metric hydroponic growers watch to dial in feeding.
Dry Herb Vaporizer Newbie
A device that heats flower below combustion, releasing cannabinoids as vapor with less odor and fewer combustion byproducts. A gentler on-ramp for many newcomers.
Dry Sift Newbie
Kief separated from flower using fine screens — a simple, solventless concentrate you can press into hash.
Dugout Intermediate
A pocket case holding ground flower and a one-hitter pipe — the classic discreet travel setup.
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E-Nail Veteran
An electronically heated dab nail that holds an exact temperature — no torch, no guesswork, perfect low-temp dabs every time.
Edibles Newbie
Food and drink infused with cannabis — gummies, chocolates, beverages, baked goods. Effects start slow (30 min–2 hrs) and last long (4–8 hrs). The golden rule: start low, go slow. Recipes and guides in Food & Edibles.
Effects Onset Newbie
How quickly a product takes hold — near-instant for inhalation, 30 minutes to 2 hours for edibles. Respecting it is the top way to avoid overdoing it.
Eighth Newbie
3.5 grams of flower — one-eighth of an ounce, the most common retail size.
Emulsifier Intermediate
An ingredient (like lecithin) that helps cannabis oil blend evenly into edibles and drinks so every dose is consistent.
Endocannabinoid System (ECS) Intermediate
The body-wide network of receptors (CB1, CB2) and internally produced cannabinoids that regulates mood, appetite, pain and sleep — and the reason cannabis affects humans at all. Discovered in the late 1980s–90s.
Endocannabinoid Tone Veteran
Your baseline level of natural endocannabinoid activity. Low tone is one theory behind conditions cannabis may help regulate.
Entourage Effect Intermediate
The theory that cannabinoids and terpenes work better together than in isolation — why many prefer full-spectrum products over pure THC.
Ethanol Extraction Veteran
Food-grade alcohol used as a solvent at commercial scale — efficient and safe, the method behind many distillates and RSO-style oils.
Ethylene Veteran
A natural plant hormone involved in ripening and stress response; advanced growers manage it to influence flowering.
EVALI Veteran
The 2019 vaping-associated lung injury outbreak, traced largely to illicit-market vape additives like vitamin E acetate. The reason to buy carts only from licensed sources.
Excise Stamp Intermediate
The government tax stamp sealing every legal cannabis product in Canada; each province has its own color. No stamp = not legal product.
Exhale Newbie
The moment you breathe out after a hit. New consumers often hold too long — with modern flower, a normal breath is plenty.
Exotic (Za) Newbie
Menu slang, often stylized with an X-sound (‘exotics’), for the rarest, most potent, most aromatic flower.
Extract Intermediate
Umbrella term for any product made by separating resin from plant material, solvent-based (BHO, CO2) or solventless (rosin, hash).
Eye Drops Newbie
The unofficial mascot of cannabis discretion, used to counter the red, dry eyes THC can cause. Learn why in our red-eyes explainer.
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Fan Leaf Intermediate
The big, iconic seven-fingered leaves that do the plant’s photosynthesis. Low in cannabinoids — trimmed away at harvest, occasionally juiced raw.
Fatty Newbie
Affectionate slang for a thick, generously rolled joint.
Feeding Schedule Intermediate
The planned rotation of nutrients a grower gives plants through veg and flower — the recipe behind healthy, heavy harvests.
Feminization Intermediate
The breeding process that forces female plants to produce female-only seeds — the reason nearly all modern seed stock is ‘feminized’.
Feminized Seeds Intermediate
Seeds bred to produce ~99% female plants — only females grow the resinous flower people consume.
Fimming Veteran
A pruning technique (a sloppy ‘topping’) that multiplies a plant’s main colas by cutting the top growth tip.
Fire Newbie
Slang for top-tier flower. ‘This is fire’ is high praise at any sesh.
Flavonoids Veteran
Plant compounds contributing color and flavor nuances; cannabis has unique ones called cannflavins, studied for anti-inflammatory effects.
Flavor Newbie
The taste of cannabis on the palate, shaped by its terpenes — from citrus and pine to diesel and dessert. Shop by flavor, not just THC.
Flower Newbie
The smokable bud of the plant, and the product category name on every menu. Still the most popular format in legal markets.
Flowering Time Veteran
The weeks a plant needs in its flowering phase before harvest — typically 7–10 for indicas, 10–14 for sativas.
Flush Newbie
In consumer terms, drinking water and waiting out a high; in growing, feeding plants plain water before harvest to improve flavor.
Foxtailing Veteran
When buds grow spindly towers of new calyxes, usually from heat or light stress. A visual red flag for growers.
Fresh Frozen Veteran
Flower flash-frozen at harvest instead of dried — the starting material for live resin and live rosin, preserving terpenes that drying loses.
Full-Spectrum Intermediate
An extract preserving the plant’s complete cannabinoid and terpene profile, aiming for the entourage effect.
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Ganja Newbie
One of cannabis’s oldest names, from Sanskrit gañjā; carried into global slang via Jamaica and Rastafari culture.
Gas Newbie
Slang for pungent, fuel-scented, top-shelf flower. High praise on any menu.
Gassy Veteran
Tasting note for flower with a sharp, diesel-like, fuel-forward aroma — a hallmark of many OG and Cookies descendants.
Genetics Intermediate
A strain’s inherited blueprint — the lineage that shapes its aroma, effects and growth. ‘Good genetics’ is the highest compliment for a seed line.
Genotype Veteran
A plant’s genetic code. Combined with environment, it produces the phenotype — the traits you can actually see and smell.
Germination Intermediate
The first step of growing: coaxing a seed to sprout its taproot, usually in water or a damp paper towel before planting.
Gram Newbie
The base unit of cannabis measurement worldwide. Every larger quantity — eighth, quarter, ounce — is just a multiple of it.
Gravity Bong Intermediate
A DIY rig using water displacement in a bucket or bottle to force a very large hit of smoke into the lungs. A college rite of passage; treat with respect.
Grease Veteran
Connoisseur slang for exceptionally sticky, resin-drenched flower that gums up your grinder — a sign of heavy trichome coverage.
Green Out Newbie
Overdoing THC — dizziness, nausea and anxiety. Unpleasant but not dangerous; hydrate, rest and take less next time. See our recovery tips.
Greenhouse-Grown Intermediate
Cultivation under glass: natural sunlight plus climate control. The middle path between indoor precision and sun-grown economics — and increasingly the sustainability pick.
Greening Out Newbie
Overdoing THC: dizziness, nausea, anxiety, cold sweats. Unpleasant but not lethal. Hydrate, breathe, find a calm spot — and next time, take less. Our sobering-up guide helps.
Grinder Newbie
The toothed tool that breaks flower into an even grind for smoother rolling and better airflow. Multi-chamber models catch kief below. Compare options in Gear.
Grow Log Veteran
A detailed diary of a grow — feeding, lighting, training and problems. The single best tool for improving cultivation over time.
Grow Tent Intermediate
A zippered, reflective enclosure that turns a closet or corner into a controllable grow space — the on-ramp for most home cultivators.
Guerrilla Grow Veteran
Cultivating cannabis covertly on remote or public land — a prohibition-era tradition largely retired by legalization.
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Hang Drying Veteran
Curing’s first stage: hanging whole harvested plants upside down in a cool, dark, humidity-controlled room to dry slowly.
Harvest Intermediate
The moment months of growing pay off: plants are cut, trimmed and moved to drying. Timed by watching trichome color shift from clear to milky to amber.
Hash Intermediate
One of humanity’s oldest concentrates: compressed trichome resin, from hand-rubbed charas of India to Moroccan pressed hash to modern bubble hash.
Head High Intermediate
A cerebral, heady set of effects — uplift, creativity, focus — most associated with sativas and Haze genetics.
Hemp Newbie
Cannabis with ≤0.3% THC, grown for fiber, seed, food and CBD. Same species, different job — hemp rope rigged sailing ships for centuries.
Herb Newbie
One of the gentlest, oldest everyday words for cannabis, carrying a natural, wholesome connotation.
Hermaphrodite Veteran
A plant showing both male and female organs, often from stress. ‘Hermies’ can pollinate a crop and ruin sinsemilla flower.
High Newbie
The euphoric, altered state produced by THC. Often distinguished from ‘stoned’ — ‘high’ being the lighter, heady end of the spectrum.
Hit Newbie
A single inhalation from a joint, pipe, bong or vape. ‘Take one hit and wait’ is timeless newcomer advice.
Homogenization Veteran
In edibles manufacturing, ensuring cannabinoids are evenly distributed so every gummy in a pack contains the same dose. Poor homogenization is why old-school homemade brownies were a gamble.
Hotbox Newbie
Filling an enclosed space (car, bathroom, tent) with smoke so the room itself becomes part of the session. A rite of passage, not a strategy.
HTFSE Veteran
High-terpene full-spectrum extract — the runny, aromatic fraction of a full-spectrum extract, prized for flavor and usually paired with THCA diamonds.
Humulene Intermediate
The earthy, hoppy terpene cannabis shares with hops (they’re botanical cousins) — studied as an appetite suppressant, unusual among cannabis compounds.
Hybrid Newbie
A strain bred from indica and sativa parents — which today means nearly everything on the shelf. Labels like ‘indica-dominant’ describe the lean. Browse our hybrid reviews.
Hydrocarbon Extraction Veteran
Concentrate production using hydrocarbon solvents like butane or propane in a closed-loop system — the source of shatter, wax and live resin.
Hydroponics Intermediate
Growing in nutrient solution instead of soil for faster growth and tighter control. ‘Hydro’ on a menu once signaled premium — now it’s just one method among many.
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Ice Water Hash Newbie
Solventless hash made by stirring flower in ice water to knock off trichomes, then filtering — the clean, chemical-free concentrate.
Indica Newbie
One of the two classic cannabis types, associated with shorter plants and relaxing, body-heavy effects. Browse indica reviews.
Indica-dominant Newbie
A hybrid leaning toward relaxing, body-centred effects — the safer pick for evenings and sleep-adjacent sessions.
Indoor Bud Veteran
Flower grown fully under lights; typically the most manicured and visually ‘frosty’, at a higher production cost than sun-grown.
Indoor-Grown Intermediate
Cannabis cultivated entirely under artificial light with full climate control — maximum bag appeal and consistency, maximum energy bill.
Infused Pre-Roll Intermediate
A joint upgraded with concentrate — kief-dusted, oil-brushed or diamond-loaded. Significantly stronger than the flower alone; split one with friends.
Infusion Intermediate
The process of binding cannabinoids to a carrier — butter, oil, honey — for cooking. The foundation of every edible. Guides in Food & Edibles.
Inhalation Newbie
Taking cannabis into the lungs by smoking or vaping — the fastest-onset method, with effects in seconds to minutes.
Inhale Newbie
The act of drawing smoke or vapor into the lungs. With modern potency, a small, controlled inhale beats a heroic one.
Intake Fan Intermediate
The fan that pulls fresh air into a grow space, feeding plants CO2 and balancing the exhaust that controls heat and smell.
Intercanopy Lighting Veteran
Supplemental grow lights placed within the plant canopy to boost lower-bud development and overall yield.
Ion Exchange Veteran
A water-treatment method growers use to control mineral content and pH before feeding — precision hydroponics groundwork.
Isolate Intermediate
A single cannabinoid refined to 99%+ purity, usually CBD. Flavorless, odorless, and free of THC — but no entourage effect.
Isomer Veteran
One of several molecules sharing a formula but differing in structure — why delta-8, delta-9 and delta-10 THC all behave a little differently.
Isomerization Veteran
The lab process of rearranging a molecule’s structure — how hemp CBD is converted into delta-8 and delta-10 THC.
J
J Newbie
The most common nickname for a joint. ‘Spark the J’ needs no translation.
Jack Frost Veteran
A frosty, terpene-loud hybrid (Jack Herer × others) that’s become a favorite for its trichome coverage and citrus-pine nose.
Jack Herer Intermediate
A legendary spicy-pine sativa named for the cannabis activist and author. A benchmark strain and multiple Cup winner. See reviews.
Jack the Ripper Veteran
A fast, lemony sativa from breeder Subcool’s TGA line — a parent to many modern terpene-loud crosses.
Jamaican Newbie
Slang and shorthand for cannabis and culture rooted in Jamaica, from landrace sativas to Rastafari tradition.
Jar Appeal Veteran
Industry term for how impressive flower looks in the jar — color, frost, structure. Sellers chase it; smart buyers also check aroma and lab data.
Jarring Intermediate
The curing step of sealing dried flower in airtight jars and ‘burping’ them daily to develop flavor and smoothness.
Jazz Cabbage Newbie
One of countless tongue-in-cheek euphemisms for cannabis, nodding to its jazz-age history.
Jazz Cigarette Newbie
A vintage, wink-and-nod euphemism for a joint, rooted in cannabis’s early jazz-club history.
Jealousy Veteran
A potent, creamy modern hybrid (Sherbert Bx1 × Gelato 41) that won major awards and defined a wave of gas-dessert strains.
Jet Fuel Intermediate
A pungent, diesel-forward hybrid (Aspen OG × High Country Diesel) known for a sharp, energizing kick.
Jilly Bean Intermediate
A sweet, orange-and-mango hybrid (Orange Velvet × Space Queen) popular for daytime mood lift.
Joint Newbie
Cannabis rolled in paper — the icon of consumption. Typically holds 0.3–1 g.
Joint Roller Intermediate
A small mechanical device that rolls a consistent joint for those who never mastered doing it by hand. A judgment-free zone.
Juicing Veteran
Consuming raw, undecarboxylated cannabis leaves and flower (as juice) for cannabinoid acids like THCA and CBDA — non-intoxicating and wellness-driven.
K
Kali Intermediate
A Rastafari-linked name for cannabis, also embedded in strain names like Kali Mist.
Kaya Veteran
A Rastafari and reggae term for cannabis, immortalized by Bob Marley’s 1978 album of the same name.
Keef Newbie
A common alternate spelling of kief — the loose trichome powder that collects in a grinder.
Kelvin Intermediate
The color-temperature scale growers use to pick grow-light spectrum — warmer (2700K) for flower, cooler (6500K) for veg.
Khalifa Kush Veteran
An OG Kush cut popularized by a well-known musician — dense, piney and potent.
Kief Intermediate
The loose trichome powder that collects in a grinder’s bottom chamber. Sprinkle on a bowl for a potency boost, or press into hash.
Killer Weed Newbie
Old-school slang for unusually strong flower — a compliment, not a warning.
Kimbo Kush Veteran
A heavy indica (Blackberry Kush × Starfighter) known for sweet-coffee funk and strong sedation.
Kind Bud Newbie
Old-school slang for high-quality flower — the good stuff.
Kine Bud Newbie
Hawaiian-rooted slang for excellent, top-quality flower — ‘kine’ meaning the good kind.
Kush Newbie
A legendary genetic family tracing to the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan/Pakistan; shorthand for dense, earthy, sedating flower. OG Kush reshaped North American cannabis in the 1990s.
Kush Cake Veteran
A rich, dessert-gas hybrid crossing Kush Mints with Wedding Cake genetics — modern top-shelf territory.
Kush Family Intermediate
The broad lineage of Kush-descended hybrids (OG Kush, Bubba Kush, Master Kush) that dominate indica-leaning menus.
Kush Genetics Veteran
The Hindu Kush landrace foundation breeders lean on for dense structure, earthy aroma and sedating effects.
Kush Mints Intermediate
A minty, gassy hybrid (Animal Mints × Bubba Kush) that spawned a huge family of dessert-gas descendants.
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Landrace Veteran
An original, geographically isolated strain shaped by centuries of local adaptation — Durban Poison (South Africa), Acapulco Gold (Mexico), Afghani (Hindu Kush). The wild ancestors of everything modern.
Larf Veteran
Grower slang for the small, fluffy, immature buds from the plant’s lower branches — fine for extracts and pre-rolls, disappointing in the jar.
Licensed Producer (LP) Intermediate
Canada’s federally licensed cultivators/processors — the only legal source feeding provincial wholesalers and stores. Industry news in Canada.
Lid Newbie
Vintage slang for roughly an ounce of cannabis, dating to the 1960s and ’70s.
Lighter Newbie
The humble but essential tool of flower consumption. Soft-flame lighters are gentler on flavor than torch lighters.
Limonene Intermediate
The citrus-scented terpene, also in lemon peel; associated with uplifted, bright effects.
Linalool Intermediate
The floral, lavender-scented terpene tied to calm — the same molecule that makes lavender relaxing.
Lineage Intermediate
A strain’s documented parentage — the family tree that predicts its aroma, effects and growth. Reading it is a core skill for shoppers.
Lit Newbie
Slang for being high, borrowed by the wider culture to mean energized or having a great time.
Live Resin Intermediate
Concentrate extracted from flash-frozen fresh plants instead of dried flower, preserving a much louder terpene profile. The connoisseur’s vape-cart standard.
Live Rosin Veteran
Solventless top-shelf: ice-water hash from fresh-frozen plants, pressed with heat. No solvents, maximum flavor, premium price.
Lollipopping Veteran
A pruning method that strips a plant’s lower growth so energy concentrates in the top colas — leaving a lollipop shape.
Loud Newbie
Slang for extremely pungent, top-quality flower — smell so strong it’s ‘loud’.
Lung Buster Newbie
Slang for an oversized hit that leaves you coughing. Impressive to no one; pace yourself.
Lux Veteran
The unit growers use to measure light intensity reaching the canopy. Too little means airy buds; too much causes light burn.
M
Macronutrients Veteran
The big three a cannabis plant needs most — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K). Every feeding schedule is built around them.
Male Plant Veteran
A cannabis plant that produces pollen sacs, not flower. Culled in sinsemilla grows but essential for breeding new seeds.
Manicuring Intermediate
The careful trimming of harvested buds to remove excess leaf — the difference between shelf-ready flower and a shaggy nug.
Marijuana Newbie
A historical term for cannabis now falling out of industry favor due to its prohibition-era, racially charged past. ‘Cannabis’ is today’s standard.
Mary Jane Newbie
One of the oldest affectionate nicknames for cannabis, a play on the Spanish ‘marijuana’.
Meristem Veteran
The plant’s actively dividing growth tissue at shoot tips — the target of topping, fimming and cloning.
Microdosing Intermediate
Taking sub-intoxicating amounts (often 1–2.5 mg THC) for subtle mood or focus effects without impairment — a fast-growing wellness trend.
Micronutrients Veteran
Trace minerals — iron, magnesium, calcium and more — a cannabis plant needs in small amounts. Deficiencies show as tell-tale leaf patterns.
Mids Newbie
Middle-shelf cannabis: decent, unremarkable, affordable. Above schwag, below top shelf.
Milled Flower Newbie
Pre-ground flower sold ready to roll — cheaper than whole bud, convenient, and a favorite budget format in Canada.
Moon Rocks Intermediate
Buds coated in extract and rolled in kief — a novelty potency bomb often testing above 50% THC.
Mother Plant Veteran
A prized plant kept permanently in a vegetative state as the source of clones — the living library of a grower’s best genetics.
Munchies Newbie
The famous appetite surge THC triggers by acting on the brain’s hunger signals. Keep snacks handy.
Mycorrhizae Intermediate
Beneficial root fungi growers add to living soil; they extend a plant’s root reach and boost nutrient uptake.
Myrcene Intermediate
The most abundant cannabis terpene: earthy, musky, mango-like — heavily associated with sedating ‘indica’ effects.
N
Nail Newbie
The heated surface (quartz, titanium or ceramic) on a dab rig where concentrate is vaporized.
Nail / Banger Veteran
The quartz or titanium bucket on a dab rig that’s heated to vaporize concentrate. Quartz bangers dominate for flavor.
Nanoemulsion Veteran
A technology that shrinks cannabinoid droplets so water-based edibles and drinks absorb faster — the science behind fast-acting beverages.
Nectar Collector Intermediate
A straw-like portable dab rig: heat the tip, touch it to concentrate, inhale. Dabbing stripped to its essentials.
Nickel Bag Newbie
Vintage slang for roughly $5 of cannabis — a relic of the pre-legalization era.
Nightcap Strain Newbie
Any heavy indica chosen specifically to end the day and ease into sleep. A category more than a single strain.
Node Intermediate
The point on a stem where leaves and branches emerge. Tight node spacing usually signals a sturdy, well-lit plant.
Northern Lights Intermediate
A foundational, deeply relaxing indica that shaped modern breeding and remains a benchmark for pure indica effects. See reviews.
Nose Newbie
The aroma of a flower as you smell it — ‘a loud nose’ means a strong, complex scent and usually good flower.
NPK Veteran
The nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio printed on every nutrient bottle — the shorthand growers use to match feed to growth stage.
Nug Newbie
A single well-formed bud. ‘Nug run’ concentrates are made from whole flower rather than trim — a quality flex.
Nug Run Intermediate
Concentrate made from whole flower rather than trim — richer flavor and a quality flex, at a higher price.
Nute Burn Veteran
Leaf-tip yellowing or browning caused by overfeeding nutrients. A rookie mistake with a clear visual signature.
Nutrient Lockout Veteran
When incorrect pH or salt buildup stops roots from absorbing nutrients even though they’re present — a classic advanced-grower headache.
Nutrients Intermediate
The mineral feed cannabis plants need to grow — sold as ‘nutes’ in vegetative and flowering formulas.
O
OG Newbie
A genetic dynasty (OG Kush and its children) and all-purpose slang for classic/authentic. The origin of ‘OG’ is disputed: ‘Ocean Grown’ vs ‘Original Gangster’.
OG Family Intermediate
The sprawling lineage of OG Kush descendants (SFV OG, Tahoe OG, Larry OG) that anchors countless modern hybrids.
OG Kush Veteran
A foundational 1990s hybrid of disputed origin (‘Ocean Grown’ vs ‘Original Gangster’) that fathered a huge branch of the modern strain family tree.
Ohm Veteran
The unit of electrical resistance in a vape coil; lower ohms mean bigger, hotter vapor. Enthusiasts tune it deliberately.
Oil Newbie
A catch-all for cannabis extracts in liquid form — vape carts, tinctures and RSO all get called ‘oil’.
Oil Rig Intermediate
A water pipe built for dabbing concentrates, using a heated nail instead of a bowl.
Old-School Veteran
Affectionate shorthand for landrace and heritage genetics from before the modern hybrid explosion — lower THC, unique character.
One-Hitter Newbie
A slim pipe sized for a single small hit — the discreet, moderate way to consume flower.
Onset Time Newbie
How long before you feel it: seconds-to-minutes for inhalation, 30 minutes to 2 hours for edibles. Respecting onset time is the #1 way to avoid greening out.
Open Blasting Intermediate
The dangerous, illegal practice of making BHO in an open (non-closed-loop) system. Never attempt it — explosions are common. This is why licensed extraction exists.
Organic Cannabis Intermediate
Flower grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, often using living soil. A fast-growing premium category.
Ounce Newbie
28 grams of flower — usually the legal public-possession limit in Canada (30 g) territory.
Outdoor Bud Newbie
Flower grown under the sun. Often less manicured than indoor but prized for terroir, sustainability and value.
Outdoor Season Intermediate
The natural annual grow cycle — plant in spring, harvest in autumn — that governs sun-grown cannabis, with ‘Croptober’ as the payoff.
Ovule Veteran
The unfertilized egg inside a female flower’s ovary that becomes a seed if pollinated — the biology sinsemilla growers work to prevent.
Oxidation Veteran
The slow chemical aging that turns THC into sleepy CBN and degrades terpenes. Airtight, dark storage slows it down.
P
Papers Newbie
Rolling papers — the thin sheets joints are rolled in. Ask any smoker and they have a favorite brand.
Pass Newbie
The social act of handing the joint to the next person. Don’t be the one who forgets — ‘puff, puff, pass’.
Percolator Intermediate
The internal glass structure in a bong that splits smoke into fine bubbles for extra cooling — trees, showerheads, honeycombs and a dozen other designs.
PGR Intermediate
Plant growth regulators — synthetic chemicals that force dense, heavy buds. A red flag in illicit product; regulated out of legal markets.
Pheno-Hunting Veteran
Growing many seeds of the same cross and selecting the single best-expressing plant (‘pheno’) to clone and produce. How award-winning cuts are found.
Phenotype Veteran
The observable expression of a strain’s genetics — two seeds of the same cross can look, smell and hit differently. Growers ‘pheno-hunt’ for the best expression.
Pinene Intermediate
The pine-forest terpene; associated with alertness and found in rosemary and conifers.
Pistil Intermediate
The hair-like strands on buds (orange, red, purple) that catch pollen on the living plant; a visual cue of maturity, not potency.
Pollen Veteran
The dust produced by male cannabis flowers that fertilizes females and creates seeds. In sinsemilla grow rooms, pollen is the enemy. (Confusingly, Europeans also call pressed kief ‘pollen’.)
Pot Newbie
Perhaps the most universal casual word for cannabis, in use since the 1930s. Likely from the Spanish ‘potiguaya’.
Potency Newbie
The strength of a product, expressed as % THC/CBD for flower and mg per unit for edibles. Potency isn’t quality — terpenes shape the experience as much as raw numbers.
Pre-roll Newbie
A ready-rolled joint from the store — the easiest entry point to flower. Check that it’s flower, not just ‘shake’, in reputable brands.
Private Reserve Intermediate
Menu-speak for a dispensary’s most exclusive in-house tier — usually small-batch, hand-trimmed and priced accordingly. Above even top shelf.
Puff Newbie
A single, gentle inhalation. ‘Puff, puff, pass’ is the unwritten etiquette of a shared joint.
Pull-and-Snap Veteran
A concentrate consistency between shatter and wax that stretches then snaps — a sign of ideal moisture and terpene content.
Purging Veteran
Removing residual solvent from a concentrate using heat and vacuum — the step that makes BHO safe to consume.
Q
Quad Newbie
Slang for a quarter-ounce (7 grams) of flower.
Quality Assurance Intermediate
The QA testing and record-keeping every licensed producer must pass before product reaches shelves — the backbone of legal-market safety.
Quality Control Intermediate
The in-house checks a producer runs on every batch — visual grading, moisture and potency — before it ships to shelves.
Quality Tier Intermediate
The shelf ranking system — schwag, mids, top shelf, private reserve — that sorts flower by price and quality.
Quantitative COA Intermediate
The section of a certificate of analysis giving exact numeric potency and contaminant levels — the part worth actually reading.
Quarter Newbie
7 grams of flower — a quarter ounce.
Quarter Pound Newbie
Four ounces of flower (113 g) — a bulk quantity abbreviated ‘QP’ in the trade.
Quartz Banger Veteran
See Nail — quartz version prized for clean flavor at low temps.
Quartz Banger Seasoning Veteran
The break-in ritual of heating and cooling a new quartz banger to condition it for cleaner, longer-lasting dabs.
Quartz Insert Intermediate
A removable quartz dish that sits inside a banger, making dab cleanup and temperature control easier.
Quartz Timer Veteran
Enthusiast shorthand for timing a quartz banger’s cool-down to hit the ideal low-temperature dab window.
Queen (menu slang) Newbie
Casual shelf slang for a standout, regal top-tier flower — a marketing flourish more than a formal term.
Quenching Veteran
Rapidly cooling a heated dab nail (often with a carb cap and airflow) to reach flavorful low-temperature dab range.
Quick-Wash Ethanol (QWET) Veteran
A concentrate method that briefly washes flower in cold ethanol to grab cannabinoids while leaving chlorophyll behind.
Quicksilver Newbie
Informal name for a fast-acting sublingual tincture designed to work in minutes rather than hours.
R
Reciprocity Intermediate
When one jurisdiction honors another’s medical cannabis cards — a lifesaver for traveling patients. Always verify before you fly.
Reclaim Veteran
The residue that condenses inside a dab rig. Yes, it’s technically active. No, it doesn’t taste good.
Reefer Newbie
A vintage, slightly campy term for a cannabis cigarette, immortalized by the 1936 film ‘Reefer Madness’.
Resin Newbie
The sticky, trichome-rich substance coating quality cannabis — the source of every concentrate. Also: the (far less glamorous) residue left in a pipe.
Reversal (STS) Veteran
Using silver thiosulfate to induce a female plant to make pollen — the standard way breeders create feminized seeds.
Reversion Veteran
When a flowering plant returns to vegetative growth, usually from inconsistent light — stressful for the plant and the grower.
Rip Newbie
A big pull from a bong or pipe. ‘Take a rip’ is an invitation and a mild dare.
Roach Newbie
The stubby, unsmokable end of a joint. Some save roaches to roll into a potent ‘roach joint’ later.
Rockwool Intermediate
A fibrous growing medium used in hydroponic setups to support roots while holding water and air.
Rolling Papers Newbie
The thin sheets — rice, hemp, unbleached pulp — that joints are rolled in. Thinner papers burn slower and taste cleaner; king size is the social standard.
Rosin Intermediate
Solventless extract pressed from flower or hash with heat and pressure — cannabis’s answer to cold-pressed olive oil. Home pressable with a hair straightener (carefully).
RSO Intermediate
Rick Simpson Oil — an unrefined, full-spectrum ethanol extract taken orally, popularized in medical circles. Dark, tarry and very strong.
Ruderalis Veteran
See Cannabis ruderalis — the autoflowering wild type.
Ruderalis Genetics Veteran
The autoflowering, low-THC traits from Cannabis ruderalis that breeders cross into modern strains to create day-neutral autoflowers.
Runtz Intermediate
A wildly popular candy-flavored hybrid (Zkittlez × Gelato) that helped define modern dessert-strain hype. See reviews.
S
Sativa Newbie
One of the two classic cannabis types, associated with tall plants and energizing, cerebral effects. Browse sativa reviews.
Sativa-dominant Newbie
A hybrid leaning energizing and cerebral — the daytime, creative-errands end of the spectrum. Browse sativa reviews.
Sauce Veteran
A terpene-rich, saucy concentrate often housing THCA diamonds — flavor-first dabbing.
Schwag Newbie
Bottom-tier brick weed: seeds, stems and sadness. The reason legalization’s quality floor matters.
Sesh Newbie
A session — the shared ritual of consuming together. The social heart of cannabis culture.
Shake Newbie
The loose flakes at the bottom of the bag/jar. Fine for edibles and pre-rolls; priced accordingly.
Shatter Intermediate
A glassy, brittle BHO concentrate that snaps like toffee. The gateway concentrate of the 2010s.
Shatter Batter Veteran
A concentrate texture midway between glassy shatter and creamy budder, valued for being both stable and easy to handle.
Sinsemilla Veteran
Seedless female flower (Spanish: sin semilla, ‘without seed’) — the cultivation standard that made modern potency possible.
Solventless Intermediate
Extracts made with only water, heat, pressure or sieving — rosin, bubble hash, kief. The ‘natural wine’ movement of concentrates.
Spliff Newbie
A joint rolled with tobacco mixed in — standard in Europe, divisive in North America.
Stash Veteran
Your personal supply of cannabis, and by extension the container it lives in. A good stash jar is airtight and opaque.
Stoned vs High Newbie
Community shorthand for two moods: ‘high’ as the energetic, cerebral lift, ‘stoned’ as the heavy, body-melting settle. Same plant, different gears.
Strain Newbie
The everyday word for a distinct cannabis variety (technically a cultivar) — Blue Dream, OG Kush, Northern Lights. Explore 150+ in our Reviews.
Sublingual Intermediate
Absorption under the tongue (oils, strips, lozenges) — faster onset than edibles (15–45 min) because it partially bypasses digestion.
Sugar (Concentrate) Veteran
A wet, crystalline concentrate texture that looks like THC-soaked sugar — often what saucy extracts become with age.
Sugar Leaf Intermediate
The small, trichome-frosted leaves that grow inside buds — trimmed at harvest and saved for hash, butter and pre-rolls rather than discarded.
Sun-Grown Intermediate
Cannabis cultivated outdoors under real sun. The lowest-cost, lowest-carbon method — terroir-driven like wine, and quietly having a craft renaissance.
T
Terp Newbie
Casual shorthand for terpene. ‘The terps on this are loud’ means it smells amazing.
Terpenes Newbie
The aromatic oils that give every strain its distinct smell and shape its effects — myrcene, limonene, pinene, caryophyllene and dozens more. Learn to shop by terps, not just THC, in our Learn hub.
Terpinolene Intermediate
The ‘fresh’ terpene — piney, floral, slightly citrus — dominant in strains like Jack Herer and associated with bright, energetic effects.
Thai Stick Veteran
The legendary 1970s format: seedless Thai flower skewered on bamboo, wrapped in fan leaves and tied with hemp string. The original infused blunt, now revived by craft producers.
THC Newbie
Tetrahydrocannabinol — the main intoxicating cannabinoid. Discovered/isolated in 1964 by Israeli chemist Dr. Raphael Mechoulam.
THCA Intermediate
The raw, non-intoxicating acid form of THC in fresh flower; converts to THC with heat (see Decarboxylation). ‘THCA %’ on labels is the potency-in-waiting.
THCV Veteran
Tetrahydrocannabivarin — a minor cannabinoid with a shorter high, studied for appetite suppression and energy. Nicknamed ‘diet weed’, found in African sativas like Durban Poison.
Thin-Film Distillation Veteran
The industrial process that refines crude extract into near-pure THC or CBD distillate by evaporating compounds at precise temperatures.
Tincture Intermediate
A cannabis extract in alcohol or oil taken by dropper — discreet, precise, and the dominant format of pre-prohibition pharmacy cannabis (1850s–1930s).
Toke Newbie
A single hit of cannabis, and a verb for taking one. Among the most enduring words in the culture.
Tolerance Newbie
The body’s adaptation to regular THC — same dose, smaller effect. Fixed by ‘t-breaks’ (tolerance breaks); even 48–72 hours helps, two weeks resets most people.
Top Shelf Newbie
A dispensary’s best flower — loud, frosty, hand-trimmed.
Topicals Newbie
Infused creams, balms and patches applied to skin for localized relief without a high (except transdermal patches, which can be psychoactive).
Topping Veteran
Cutting off a plant’s main growth tip to split it into two colas — a foundational training technique for bushier, higher-yielding plants.
Torch Intermediate
The butane torch used to heat a dab nail. Kitchen-store creme brulee torches work; dedicated dab torches heat faster. Respect the flame.
Transdermal Patch Veteran
A skin patch delivering cannabinoids into the bloodstream over hours — one of the few topicals that can be psychoactive.
Tree Newbie
Slang for cannabis flower, especially chunky, well-structured buds.
Trichomes Intermediate
The frosty resin glands coating quality bud — tiny mushroom-shaped factories where cannabinoids and terpenes are made. Sparkle = potential.
Trim Intermediate
The leaves clipped from buds after harvest; lower potency but perfect for extracts and edibles. ‘Trim run’ products are cheaper than ‘nug run’.
U
Ultra-Low-Temp Dab Veteran
Dabbing at reduced nail temperatures to preserve delicate terpenes and deliver maximum flavor with a smoother hit.
Ultra-Refined Intermediate
Marketing shorthand for heavily processed distillate or isolate — very pure, potent and flavorless without added terpenes.
Ultrasonic Extraction Veteran
Using high-frequency sound waves to help pull cannabinoids from plant material — an emerging, gentler extraction method.
Ultraviolet Light Intermediate
UV wavelengths some growers add to spur trichome production — and the reason curing flower away from light preserves potency.
Uncured Intermediate
Flower sold before a proper cure — harsher, grassy and less flavorful. A common shortcut in rushed or illicit product.
Uncured Resin Veteran
Freshly pressed rosin or extract before it’s been given time to stabilize; texture and flavor shift as it ‘cures’.
Undercurrent (DWC) Veteran
A deep-water-culture hydroponic method circulating oxygenated nutrient solution around bare roots for fast growth.
Underground Genetics Intermediate
Prized strains passed hand-to-hand among growers before ever reaching legal seed banks — the source of many modern classics.
Underripe Harvest Intermediate
Cutting a plant too early, before trichomes cloud over — yielding a more heady, less sedating (and lower-yield) result.
Unit Newbie
Casual shorthand for a standard package or quantity of product, especially in delivery and retail.
Unlicensed Store Newbie
A cannabis shop operating outside the legal system. Product there is untested — the excise stamp and licence are your safety check.
Up High Newbie
A bright, energetic, mood-lifting high — the sativa promise. The opposite of couch-lock.
Up-High Strain Newbie
Any strain chosen for energizing, mood-lifting effects — the daytime, sativa-leaning pick.
Uplifting Newbie
Menu-speak for energizing, mood-brightening effects — the classic ‘sativa’ promise.
UVB Supplementation Veteran
Adding ultraviolet-B light late in flowering, which some growers believe boosts trichome and cannabinoid production.
V
Vac Purge Veteran
Using a vacuum oven to pull residual solvent out of a concentrate at low heat — a key quality step for clean extracts.
Vape Newbie
Both the device and the act of vaporizing cannabis below combustion — less smell and smoke than a lighter and flame.
Vape Cartridge Newbie
A pre-filled container of cannabis oil that screws onto a battery. Convenient and discreet; buy only from licensed sources — the 2019 vape crisis (EVALI) was driven by illicit-market additives like vitamin E acetate.
Vape Coil Veteran
The heating element inside a vaporizer or cart; its resistance and material shape flavor, vapor volume and lifespan.
Vape Crisis (2019) Veteran
The EVALI outbreak that reshaped vape regulation and pushed consumers toward licensed, tested cartridges.
Vape Pen Newbie
A slim battery-and-cartridge device for vaporizing cannabis oil — the most popular discreet format for many consumers.
Vapor Newbie
The cannabinoid-and-terpene mist a vaporizer produces by heating cannabis below burning — smoother than smoke.
Vapor Pressure Deficit Veteran
A combined temperature-and-humidity metric advanced growers optimize to control how fast plants transpire and feed.
Vaporizer Newbie
Any device heating cannabis below combustion — dry-herb units, dab pens, carts. Less smell, more flavor, no smoke.
Vault (Storage) Intermediate
Airtight, humidity-controlled storage for long-term flower keeping — the serious collector’s answer to a stash jar.
Vegetative Stage Intermediate
The leafy growth phase before flowering, when a plant builds the structure that will later hold buds.
Ventilation Intermediate
The intake-and-exhaust airflow that controls a grow’s heat, humidity and smell. Bad ventilation invites mould and pests.
Vertical Grow Intermediate
Stacking plants on vertical racks to multiply canopy per square foot — a space-efficient commercial cultivation method.
Volatile Terpenes Veteran
The lightest, most fragrant terpenes that evaporate first during drying and combustion — the reason low-temp vaping tastes louder.
Volcano Intermediate
The iconic balloon-bag desktop vaporizer so widely used its name is near-generic for premium dry-herb vaping.
W
Wake and Bake Newbie
Consuming first thing in the morning. A lifestyle for some, a red flag for others, a great song title always.
Water Activity Veteran
A lab measure of available moisture in cured flower, used to predict mould risk. Licensed producers test it before release.
Water Curing Veteran
An alternative cure that soaks flower in water to leach out impurities — faster and less smelly than air curing, at some flavor cost.
Water Pipe Newbie
The formal, retail-friendly name for a bong — a pipe that filters smoke through water.
Wattage Intermediate
The power a grow light draws, a rough proxy for how much canopy it can support. More watts, more heat to manage.
Wax Intermediate
A soft, opaque BHO concentrate — easier to handle than shatter, stronger than kief.
Weed Newbie
The people’s word for cannabis, alongside pot, herb, bud, grass, ganja, Mary Jane, cheeba, and a hundred more. Language note: ‘marijuana’ fell from favor in industry use due to its prohibition-era, racially charged history — ‘cannabis’ is the standard term now.
Weed Hangover Newbie
The groggy, foggy feeling some people report the morning after heavy use — usually eased by hydration and rest.
Weed Measurements Intermediate
The standard ladder of flower quantities — gram, eighth, quarter, half, ounce — that every menu and budtender uses.
Wet Trimming Intermediate
Trimming leaf from buds right after harvest while still moist — faster than dry trimming but messier.
Whip Veteran
The tube on a desktop vaporizer that delivers vapor from the heating chamber to your mouth.
White Ash Intermediate
Pale, clean ash left by well-flushed, properly cured flower — a folk quality test at the end of a joint.
Widow Line Veteran
The White Widow family of resin-heavy hybrids that helped define 1990s Amsterdam coffeeshop culture.
Winterization Veteran
The purification step that removes fats and waxes from an extract by freezing it in ethanol — the difference between cloudy and glass-clear oil.
Wook Newbie
Affectionate festival-scene slang for a free-spirited, cannabis-loving character. Culture, not chemistry.
X
X (Cross Symbol) Newbie
The ‘×’ in a strain name marks a cross between two parents, as in Blue Dream = Blueberry × Haze. The most common symbol on any menu.
X-Ray Kush Veteran
A rare, hard-hitting Kush hybrid prized by collectors for dense, resinous buds.
X-Trichome View Intermediate
Enthusiast shorthand for inspecting trichomes under magnification (‘at 60x’) to judge ripeness before harvest.
Xanthophyll Veteran
A yellow plant pigment in cannabis leaves, revealed as chlorophyll fades near harvest — part of why leaves turn gold in late flower.
XJ-13 Veteran
A therapeutic sativa-dominant cross of Jack Herer × G13 Haze — proof that even letters X-Z earn glossary entries.
XXX OG Intermediate
A relaxing OG-line indica hybrid known for piney, earthy funk and a heavy, mellow finish.
Y
Y-Splitter Veteran
A grow-room fitting that divides airflow or irrigation lines to feed multiple plants evenly.
Yellowing Intermediate
Leaf discoloration in a grow. Late-flower yellowing can be natural; early yellowing usually signals a nutrient or pH problem.
Yerba (slang) Newbie
A casual, Spanish-rooted street name for cannabis used across Latin America and beyond.
Yeti OG Intermediate
A frosty, camphor-and-pine OG hybrid named for its snow-like trichome coverage.
Yield Veteran
The harvest weight a plant or room produces; the metric every grower obsesses over, measured in grams per square foot or per light.
Yield Optimization Veteran
The whole discipline of maximizing harvest weight — training, lighting, feeding and timing — without sacrificing quality.
Yield per Plant Newbie
How much dried flower a single plant produces — the everyday way home growers measure a harvest’s success.
Young Plant Newbie
A cannabis seedling or early clone in its first weeks, before vegetative and flowering stages.
Z
Zaza Newbie
Modern slang for exotic top-shelf flower — the shelf above top shelf.
Zeaxanthin Veteran
A yellow carotenoid pigment in cannabis leaves, part of the color chemistry revealed as flowers ripen.
Zen Strain Newbie
Informal term for any calming, balanced strain chosen to relax without heavy sedation.
Zero-THC Veteran
Products (usually CBD isolate) verified by lab testing to contain no detectable THC — chosen by those who must avoid it entirely.
Zerts Intermediate
Slang and branding for candy-sweet, Zkittlez-adjacent flower in the modern dessert-strain wave.
Zip Newbie
Slang for an ounce (28 g) — likely from ziplock bags.
Zip Bag Veteran
The resealable bag an ounce (‘zip’) traditionally came in — the likely origin of the slang.
Zkittlez Intermediate
An award-winning candy-sweet indica-leaning hybrid whose fruity terpene profile launched a wave of dessert strains. See reviews.
Zoap Intermediate
A newer soapy-sweet hybrid (Rainbow Sherbet × Pink Guava) known for a fizzy, giggly balance and heavy trichome frost.
Zombie Effect Veteran
Slang for the glazed, near-immobile state a very heavy dose or potent indica can cause. A caution, not a goal.
Zonked Newbie
Slang for being thoroughly, heavily high — usually after a potent indica.
Zooted Newbie
Slang for being very high — a notch beyond simply stoned.
Zour Apples Intermediate
A tart, gassy hybrid in the fruity-funk family beloved by flavor chasers.
