@
The @ sign is used to call out usernames in Tweets, like this: Hello @GetDasheroo! When a username is preceded by the @ sign, it becomes a link to that user’s Twitter profile.
Activity
Lives in the Notifications tab. Activity is a real-time feed to view what the people you’re following are doing on Twitter. You can view Tweets they’ve favorited and discover other good content on Twitter.
Avatar
See Profile photo.
Bio
A short personal description of 160 characters or fewer used to define who you are on Twitter.
Direct message or DM
Also called a DM and most recently called simply a “message,” these Tweets are private between the sender and recipient. Tweets sent over SMS become DMs when they begin with “d username” to specify who the message is for.
Discover
The Discover tab is where you’d find top Tweets, Who to Follow, Activity, Find Friends, and Browse Categories. The Discover tab is all about, you guessed it, discovering new and engaging things to do on Twitter!
Email notifications
Preferences set by Twitter users to regulate notifications via email about events on your account, such as new followers and new direct messages.
Favorite
To favorite a Tweet means to mark it as one of your favorites by clicking the yellow star next to the message. You can also favorite via SMS.
FF
#FF stands for “Follow Friday.” Twitter users often suggest who others should follow on Fridays by tweeting with the hashtag #FF.
Follow
To follow someone on Twitter is to subscribe to their Tweets or updates on the site.
Follow count
The numbers that reflect how many people you follow, and how many people follow you. Found on your Twitter Profile.
Follower
A follower is another Twitter user who has followed you.
Following
Your following number reflects the quantity of other Twitter users you have chosen to follow on the site.
Geolocation / Geotagging
The use of location data in Tweets to tell us where you are in real time. Is also called “Tweet With Your Location.
GFF (Get Followers Fast)
Sites that promise to get you more followers if you provide your username and password. After signing up, these sites send spam from your account. Don’t use them.
Handle
A user’s “Twitter handle” is the username they have selected and the accompanying URL, like so:http://twitter.com/username.
Hashtag or #
The # symbol is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users.
HT or h/t
Usually means “hat tip.” A way of acknowledging the person who originally shared the content being tweeted, such as a link to an article or video.
Listed
To be included in another Twitter user’s list. Listed numbers and details appear in the statistics section of your profile.
Lists
Curated groups of other Twitter users. Used to tie specific individuals into a group on your Twitter account.
Mention
Mentioning another user in your Tweet by including the @ sign followed directly by their username is called a “mention”. Also refers to Tweets in which your username was included.
MT
Similar to RT, an abbreviation for “Modified Tweet.” Placed before the retweeted text when users manually retweet a message with modifications, for example shortening a Tweet.
Notifications
The Notifications tab lets you view interactions, mentions, recent follows and Retweets. Using the Notifications tab you’re able to view who has favorited or retweeted your Tweets, who has recently followed you, and all of your @replies and @mentions.
OH
“OH” most often means “overheard” in Tweets. Used as a way to quote funny things people overhear.
Profile
A Twitter page displaying information about a user, as well as all the Tweets they have posted from their account.
Profile photo or Avatar
The personal image uploaded to your Twitter profile in the Settings tab of your account.
Promoted Tweets
Tweets that selected businesses have paid to promote at the top of search results on Twitter.
Protected/Private Tweets
Twitter accounts are public by default. Choosing to protect your account means that your Tweets will only be seen by approved followers and will not appear in search.
Reply
A Tweet posted in reply to another user’s message, usually posted by clicking the “reply” button next to their Tweet in your timeline. Always begins with @username.
Retweet (noun)
A Tweet by another user, forwarded to you by someone you follow. Often used to spread news or share valuable findings on Twitter.
Retweet (verb)
To retweet, retweeting, retweeted. The act of forwarding another user’s Tweet to all of your followers.
RT
Abbreviated version of “retweet.” Placed before the retweeted text when users manually retweet a message. See also Retweet.
TIL
Acronym for “Today I learned.” Often used at the beginning of a Tweet, for example: “TIL what a hashtag is!”
Timeline
A real-time list of Tweets on Twitter. See also Home Timeline.
TL
Short for “Timeline.” See also Timeline and Home Timeline.
Top Tweets
Tweets determined by a Twitter search algorithm to be the most popular or resonant on Twitter at any given time.
Trends
A subject algorithmically determined to be one of the most popular on Twitter at the moment.
Tweet (verb)
Tweet, tweeting, tweeted. The act of posting a message, often called a “Tweet”, on Twitter.
Tweet (noun)
A message posted via Twitter containing 140 characters or fewer.
Tweet button
A button anyone can add to their website. Clicking this button allows Twitter users to post a Tweet with a link to that site.
Unfollow
To cease following another Twitter user. Their Tweets no longer show up in your home timeline.
URL Shortener
URL shorteners are used to turn long URLs into shorter URLs. Shortening services can be found online.
Who to Follow
Who to Follow can be found in the Discover tab. Here, you should see a few recommendations of accounts we think you might find interesting. These are based on the types of accounts you’re already following and who those people follow.