Here is the Ever-Evolving Glossary of Vaping Terminology or Vape Terms Explained.
The Language of Vaping is constantly evolving as innovative new e-cigarette products emerge. As you experience the wonderful world of Vaping, you probably have a few questions about all this pretentious verbiage. Puzzled over the difference between an eGo and a Vaporizer? New ecig or e-cig abbreviations appear daily and the most popular Vaping words move from Vaper-speak to the vernacular.
There's enough Vaping terminology flying around to make anyone feel confused or dizzy. That's why we've created this terminology guide, you'll find definitions to many commonly used words and abbreviations, providing you with an in-depth understanding of most Vaping lingo and keep you up to speed on the latest Vape-related terms.
If you're a veteran Vaper and have any terms to add, please leave a comment for us!
306:– This is a style of atomizer used for dripping e-liquids. It is available in all levels of resistance and is 510 threaded. You can use a 306 atomizer with any e-cigarette that supports L88B or 510 atomizers.
M401, M402, and M403:– These numbers refer to e-cigarette battery lengths measured in millimeters. The M401 model is the longest length and has the longest battery life. The M403 is the shortest in length and has the shortest battery life.
510:– This number refers to the threads on an e-cigarette battery, atomizer, cartomizer or Clearomizer. Also known as a male thread, the 510 is by far the most popular style of e-cigarette threading because it is compatible with most electronic cigarettes available.
KR808 or 808:– Style of e-cigarette threading. This type is used in the Halo Cigs Triton Tank, Halo Clear Tank, Mini Tank as well as Halo G6 cartridges.
L88B:– An early design of atomizer for smaller e-cigarettes, used before cartomizers became popular.
901:– A style of e-cigarette with a female thread.
ADV:– Refers to an All Day Vape, an e-liquid that a Vaper is happy to Vape for a long period of time.
Adapter:– Used to connect one threading type to a different threading type. Many users enjoy clearomizers with the eGo threading. When a device has a standard 510 connector, an adapter will be used to connect the 510 connector to the eGo clearomizer.
Adjustable Airflow (Airflow Control):– A way of controlling the air intake on an atomizer or clearomizer. Adjustable airflow is also becoming available on drip tips as well. Adjustable Airflow is used to help increase the Vapor production and also to cool the Vapor.
Advanced Personal Vaporizer (APV):– An electronic cigarette device that is considered more advanced than others. An APV typically features more advanced features and functions, such as an OLED Screen, Variable Wattage, and an elaborate Menu System, among others.
All Day Vape (ADV):– Most describe an ADV as an e-liquid flavor that can be Vaped all day continuously, rather than Vaping a flavor for a minimal length of time.
American Wire Gauge (AWG):– The standard used in the United States to determine the resistance and diameter of electric wire used to create the coils in atomizers.
Amperage (Amps):– Amperage is the flow of energy along a circuit. With Advanced Personal Vaporizers, the lower the amps, the less capable you are of using higher voltages on low resistance atomizers. This is prevalent in high voltage upon low resistance atomizers.
Analog:– A term commonly used in the world of Vaping to describe a traditional tobacco cigarette.
AFS:– An auto feed system.
Aerosol:– Vapor produced by an e-cigarette.
APV:– Advanced personal Vaporizer.
Atomizer:– A component of an e-cigarette, that converts the e-Liquid to Vapor.
Atty:– Slang for Atomizer.
Automatic:– A type of Vaping device that works when inhaled rather than pressing a button.
Auto Shut Off:– When a device is able to automatically turn off if it's overheating. Also known as Battery Cut Off.
Battery:– The battery powers the atomizer. Sometimes rechargeable.
Batt:– Slang for Battery. (View our Batteries here)
Base Liquid:– Basic e-liquid made from vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol.
Battery Venting:– The process where a battery is pushed passed its limits specified and gas is released from the battery.
Base Mix:– Basic e-liquid with nicotine added.
Blanks:– Empty cartridges for a Vaper to fill with e-liquid.
Box Mod:– A boxy, square APV.
Bridge:– Also known as an Atomizer Wick.
Cartridge:– The cartridge holds the e-liquid.
Carcinogen:– Any chemical, compound, or substance thought to cause cancer. When e-liquid is heated and reaches high temperatures can produce some carcinogens.
Cart:– Short for Cartridge. Also known as Carto.
Cartomiser/Cartomizer:– A combined atomizer and cartridge in one device.
Clouds:– The effect when Vapor is exhaled by the user.
Cloud Chaser:– See blog post here.
Coil:– The coil heats the e-liquid.
Charger:– A device used to charge batteries once they have been depleted.(View our Battery Chargers Here)
Cig-A-Like (E-Pen, Stick eCig):– An electronic cigarette device that looks similar to a traditional tobacco cigarette.
Deck:– The bottom of the atomizer where the positive and negative posts sit.
Diacetyl:– A flavoring used in some e-liquid production for its buttery taste. It can cause Bronchiolitis obliterans (AKA Popcorn Lung) if inhaled in large concentrations.
Direct Dripping:– The act of directly dripping onto a coil.
Disposable Ecig:– An electronic cigarette device that was designed to be disposed of when either the battery is depleted or the e-liquid has ran out.
DNA:– Typically referencing a computer chip manufactured by EvolVapor. The manufacturer has become highly known for its DNA Boards, all which has introduced new technology to the electronic cigarette industry.
Do It Yourself (DIY):– The term typically used when a user mixes e-liquid themselves.
Drip:– The act of dripping e-liquid.
Drip Cap (Drip Top, Chuff Cap):– A larger than normal mouthpiece. The Drip Cap not only provides a better airflow, but also allows the user to drip without having to remove the mouthpiece/cap.
Drip Tip:– The mouthpiece used on an atomizer or clearomizer.
Drip Well:– The surface area on the base of an atomizer. The drip well is used so that if more than enough e-liquid is dripped, the excess e-liquid will sit into the Drip Well, eliminating any leakage from the atomizer.
Dry Burn:– The act of applying power to a coil without the use of e-liquid. This term is commonly used when testing a temperature controlled device to ensure that it's regulating the temperature properly.
Dry Hit:– When a user inhales from a device, but no e-liquid is present. Instead of the coils producing Vapor, since there is no e-liquid, it burns the cotton, which results in a harsh, very dry and uncomfortable hit.
Dual Coil Tank (DCT):– A tank that utilizes a cartomizer, which has two coils.(View our Tanks here)
E-Cig:– Electronic cigarette. Also known as E-Cigarette and Electronic Cigarette.
eGo Connector:– A connector that originated on a device known as the eGo.
eGo Threading:– The eGo connector uses the 510 threading on the inside to accept 510 connectors, but also has a certain eGo threading on the outside of the connector to accept eGo threaded connectors.
E-Juice:– E-liquid, also known simply as Juice, Smoke Juice, and Liquid.
E-Liquid:– The liquid Vaporized in a Vaping device. (View our E-Liquids by Brands)
E-Smoking:– General term for Vaping.
Electronic Cigarette (E-Cig, E-Cigarette, eCig, eCigarette):– A device that was invented to allow users to receive nicotine through an inhaled Vapor.
Exhale:– To blow out Vapor through the mouth.
Flooding:– Flooding can occur in your device if too much liquid reaches the atomizer.
Formaldehyde:– Can be produced much like acrolein; when e-liquid is heating to extremely high temperature. Formaldehyde is also a known human carcinogen. As a result, temperature controlled mods have become very popular.
French Hit:– Vaping out of the lungs, and then re-inhaling it into the nose.
Heatsink:– Fins or protrusions on a mod, atomizer, or drip tip. The heatsink is designed to dissipate heat by allowing more airflow over more surface area.
High Resistance (HR):– A resistance higher than an average or commonly seen resistance level. A high resistance is 3.0 ohm or higher.
High VG E-Liquid:– An e-liquid that has a higher percentage of Vegetable Glycerin. High VG e-liquid is commonly used with sub-ohm clearomizers and rebuildable atomizers. The Vegetable Glycerin ingredient is known to help create a larger Vapor production.
Hybrid:– A Vaping device with the atomizer and battery in one unit.
Inhale:– To pull in Vapor through the mouth.
Kick:– Used to describe the hit at the back of the throat when Vaping.
Joules:– A unit of power used in temperature controlled mods. It is equal to the energy transferred (or work done) when applying a force of one newton through a distance of one metre (1 newton metre or N. m), or in passing an electric current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second.
Juice Hole:– The hole cut out and covered with a wicking material on a replacement coil or rebuildable tank atomizer. The juice hole is to allow e-liquid to be soaked up by a wicking material, then delivered to the coil to be Vaporized.
Kanthal Wire:– A wire that is the trademark for a family of iron-chromium-aluminium (FeCrAl) alloys used in a wide range of resistance and high-temperature applications.
Low Resistance (LR):– A resistance that is lower than the standard. Typically, 1.5 ohm or lower is considered low resistance.
Lung Hit:– The act of inhaling Vapor directly into the lungs, bypassing the mouth. Users commonly lower nicotine strength when lung hitting to reduce throat hit, since the nicotine provides a harsh hit.
Li-on:– Lithium-ion batteries.
LED:– A light at the end of an e-cigarette that omits a glow like a traditional cigarette.
MAH:– Battery power rating.
Manual:– A device that works when a button is pushed, rather than an Automatic.
MG:– Milligram strength per milliliter of nicotine in the E-liquid.
Menthol:– A fresh tasting e-liquid flavor, derived from peppermint.
Mod:– Also known as a modified Vaping device.
Modder:– Someone who modifies electronic cigarettes or Vaping devices from their original versions. Modder's typically mod to increase the performance of the device.
Mouth Hit:– To inhale Vapor into the mouth first, then continuing by pulling the Vapor further to reach the lungs.
Nichrome Wire (NiCr, Nickel-Chrome, Chrome-Nickel):– A resistance wire made from Nickel, Chromium, and (often) Iron. It has a common ratio of 80% Nickel to 20% Chromium. Nichrome was once considered the most used wire type with coils made for electronic cigarettes and Vaping devices.
Nickel Wire (Ni200, Nickel 200):– Nickel wire is commercially pure, has good mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance.
Nicotine:– Found in natural tobacco, but also added to some e-liquids. We have from 0mg to 24mg.
Nic:– Short for Nicotine.
Nic Juice:– E-Liquid that contains Nicotine.
Nicotine Strength (Nicotine Level, Nicotine Dose, Nic Strength):– The amount of nicotine per milliliter. The strength is calculated in a percentage, but is referred to most without a percentage symbol or a decimal to separate numbers. (2.4% = 24MG)
No-Resistance Wire (Non-Resistance Wire, NR-Wire):– A conductive wire that is used in rebuildable atomizers to complete a circuit to the atomizer coil.
Notch Coil:– A coil that combines the surface area of a Clapton coil with the ramp up time of an OCC coil. This coil is made of Stainless Steel, providing optimum flavor with easy plug and play use.
OHM:– A measure of electrical resistance.
Organic Cotton (OC):– Grown in subtropical countries such as Turkey, China and USA from non genetically modified plants. Organic Cotton provides a much cleaner and purer taste when used as a wicking material.
Organic Cotton Coil (OCC):– A replacement coil that uses organic cotton. Kanger was the first manufacturer to introduce the Organic Cotton Coil.
PG:– Propylene Glycol. PG is a common ingredient in many of today's e-liquids.
Parallel Mod:– A device that has batteries that are wired parallel to one another. By doing this, it increases the battery life at the cost of voltage.
Passthrough (PT):– A device that plugs directly into the USB port of a computer or charge and allows the user to Vape without having to worry about battery life.
Personal Charging Case (PCC):– A common acronym for Personal (or portable) Charging Case. This allows an electronic cigarette battery to be stored in and charged from the PCC battery while away from other power sources.
Personal Vaporizer (PV):– A device that turns e-liquid into Vapor. A personal Vaporizer is also another term used for electronic cigarette, as well as portable Vaporizer.
Pen Style:– One of many types of e-cigarettes. They resemble a pen and are relatively small and thin. (View our Pen Style Pods Devices here)
PEG:– Polyethylene Glycol. In the past, PEG was a commonly used ingredient in some e-liquids.
Posts:– The positive and negative inside of an atomizer that allows a coil to complete an electrical circuit.
Priming:– To soak the wicking inside of a coil to ensure that it has an ample amount of e-liquid to Vaporize in order to prevent a dry hit.
Protected Battery:– A battery that has a computer chip that protects the battery and breaks the circuit in the battery from completing if the voltage goes too high or too low.
Puff (Pull, Draw):– To inhale from from an electronic cigarette.
Starter Kits:– Everything you need to get started on your Vaping journey. Shop ours here. (View our Starter Kits here)
Steeping:– The act of letting e-liquid sit for a period of time. By letting the e-liquid sit, it allows the ingredients in the e-liquid to process and fuse together.
Sub-Ohm:– The practice by experienced Vapers to increase the current from your specific battery and by using the principles of Ohms Law, reducing the ohms of the coils below one to achieve a large Vapor production. Sub-Ohm is considered 0.9 ohm and below.
Squonking:- is a recently popularized, innovative vaping method.
Tank:– The clear chamber that holds the e-Liquid.
Throat Hit (TH):– The feeling received in the back of the throat hit when inhaling Vapor. The term stems from the harshness felt. Propylene Glycol and Nicotine are both ingredients that are known to cause the throat hit. The more nicotine in the e-liquid, the more throat hit felt.
Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR):– The practice of reducing harm created by nicotine-containing products.
Topping Off:– To completely fill an e-liquid tank.
Tube Mod:– A device that carries a form factor of a tube shape, so that it can hold a battery, which carries the same shape, in its lower compartment.
Vape (Vaping):– The word Vape, short for Vaporizer, is synonymous with e-cigarette, but it's also used to describe the Vapor that comes out of an e-cig as well as the act of using an e-cig, the latter of which is more commonly referred to as Vaping.
Vaper:– A user of Vaping products.
Vape Juice:– Another name for e-liquid.
Vaporizer:– A Vaporizer, or Vaporizer, is an electronic device the heats blends to the point of Vaporisation. An electronic cigarette, which is also sometimes referred to as a Vape, is a type of Vaporizer.
Vapor:– The cloud or aerosol produced by an e-cig.
Vapers Tounge:– A common problem among many Vapers when they Vape too much of one flavor, and their taste buds become desensitized to the flavor.
Vegetable Glycerol /Glycerine (VG):– One of the two primary base substances used to create e-Liquids.
Wrap:– One revolution of a wire during the process of building a coil.
Wick:– The wick helps the liquid to flow to the atomizer. Made from silica.
Zero-Nic:– A nicotine free e-liquid. (View our 0mg E-Liquids here)
