Skateboard Terms and Slang: The Complete Glossary (2026)
New to skating, or just confused by your friends? Here are the skateboard terms you'll hear most, in plain English.
How to Use This Glossary
Skateboarding has its own language. This glossary covers stance terms, board parts, places and obstacles, trick names and slang. Use the search button at the top of the page if you're looking for something specific across the site.
Stance and Direction
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Regular | Left foot forward |
| Goofy | Right foot forward; see goofy vs regular |
| Switch | Riding in your opposite stance |
| Fakie | Riding backward in your normal stance |
| Nollie | Popping off the nose while riding forward |
| Frontside | Turning or approaching with your chest facing the obstacle |
| Backside | Turning or approaching with your back to the obstacle |
| Mongo | Pushing with your front foot; see pushing mongo |
Board Parts
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Deck | The wooden board |
| Nose / tail | Front and back ends of the deck |
| Concave | The curve across the deck's width |
| Grip tape | Sandpaper-like top layer |
| Trucks | Metal axles that hold the wheels |
| Hanger | The T-shaped part of the truck with the axle |
| Baseplate | The part of the truck bolted to the deck |
| Kingpin | The big bolt holding the truck together |
| Bushings | Rubber rings that control how the truck turns |
| Bearings | Let wheels spin; 2 per wheel |
| Risers | Pads between truck and deck that add height |
| Hardware | Bolts and nuts that mount the trucks |
More detail in skateboard anatomy.
Places and Obstacles
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Transition (tranny) | Curved ramp surfaces |
| Coping | The edge at the top of a ramp or bowl |
| Quarter pipe | A single curved ramp |
| Half pipe / vert | Two facing ramps; vert ramps go fully vertical |
| Mini ramp | A small half pipe |
| Bowl | A rounded, pool-like structure |
| Ledge | A raised edge for grinds and slides |
| Rail / handrail | A metal bar for grinds |
| Manual pad | A low box for manuals |
| Flat bar | A low, flat rail |
| Funbox | A box with ramps and ledges |
| Gap | Space you ollie across |
Trick Names
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ollie | Jump with the board; see how to ollie |
| Kickflip | The board flips along its length; see how to kickflip |
| Heelflip | Flip kicked with the heel |
| Pop shove it | Board spins 180° under you; see how to pop shove it |
| Tre flip (360 flip) | A kickflip combined with a 360 shove it |
| Manual | Balancing on the back wheels |
| Grind | Trucks scraping an edge; see types of grinds |
| Slide | The deck sliding on an edge |
| Drop in | Entering a ramp from the top; see how to drop in |
| Kick turn | Pivoting on the back wheels |
| Air | Flying above the coping |
| Revert | A 180 slide on the wheels after landing |
| Boneless | Planting a foot on the ground and jumping with the board |
Skate Slang
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Slam | A hard fall |
| Bail | Jumping off the board to avoid a fall |
| Sketchy | Shaky or barely landed |
| Steezy | Stylish and easy-looking |
| Stoked | Very excited or happy |
| Session (sesh) | A period of skating |
| Line | A sequence of tricks in one run |
| Poser | Someone who looks the part but doesn't skate |
| Snake | Cutting in front of someone at the park |
| Shredding | Skating really well |
| Wheel bite | Wheel hits the deck in a turn; see wheel bite |
| Speed wobbles | Board shaking at speed; see speed wobbles |
| Primo | Landing with the board on its side edge |
| Razor tail | A tail worn down from dragging |
| Pressure flip | A flip trick done with no flick of the foot |
Keep Learning
Ready to put the words to use? Start with skateboard tricks and types of skateboards, or read about Olympic skateboarding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does goofy mean in skateboarding?
Riding with your right foot forward. Regular means left foot forward.
What is switch in skateboarding?
Riding in your opposite stance, like a regular skater riding goofy.
What does mongo mean?
Pushing with your front foot instead of your back foot.
What is coping?
The rounded metal or concrete edge at the top of a ramp or bowl.
What does sketchy mean?
A trick or landing that was shaky or barely made.