Twitter Lingo and Vocabulary

The lingo and vocabulary used frequently to talk about features and aspects of Twitter.

@: The @ sign is used to call out usernames in Tweets, like this: Hello @Twitter! When a username is preceded by the @ sign, it becomes a link to a Twitter profile.

Avatar: The personal image uploaded to your Twitter profile in the Settings tab of your account.

Follow: To follow someone on Twitter is to subscribe to their Tweets or updates on the site. 

Handle: A user's "Twitter handle" is the username they have selected.

Hashtag (#): The # symbol is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet.

Mention: Mention another user in your Tweet by including the @ sign followed directly by their username.

Retweet (RT): A Tweet by another user, forwarded to you by someone you follow. Often used to spread news or share valuable findings on Twitter.

Tweet: A message posted via Twitter containing 140 characters or fewer.

Unfollow: To cease following another Twitter user. Their Tweets no longer show up in your home timeline.

View more terms by visiting the Twitter Help page.