Glossary of surfing

Updated on Dec 17, 2024

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This glossary of surfing includes some of the extensive vocabulary used to describe various aspects of the sport of surfing as described in literature on the subject. In some cases terms have spread to a wider cultural use. These terms were originally coined by people who were directly involved in the sport of surfing.

About the water

Beach break: An area where waves that are good enough to surf break just off a beach, or on a sandbar farther out

Blown out: When waves that would otherwise be good have been rendered too choppy by wind

Bomb: An exceptionally large set wave

Choppy, chop: Waves that are subjected to cross winds have a rough surface (chop) and do not break cleanly

Close-out: A wave is said to be "closed-out" when it breaks at every position along the face at once, and therefore cannot be surfed

Face: The forward-facing surface of a breaking wave

Flat: No waves

Barrel: The effect when a big wave rolls over, enclosing a temporary horizontal tunnel of air with the surfer inside

Glassy: When the waves (and general surface of the water) are extremely smooth and glossy, not disturbed by wind

Gnarly: Large, difficult, and dangerous (usually applied to waves)

Line-up: The area where most of the waves are starting to break and where most surfers are positioned in order to catch a wave

Off the hook: A positive phrase meaning the waves are a very good size and shape

Outside: The part of the water's surface that is farther from the shore than the area where most waves are breaking

Point break: Area where an underwater rocky point creates waves that are suitable for surfing

Sections: The parts of a breaking wave that are rideable

Set waves: A group of waves of larger size within a swell

Shoulder: The unbroken part of the wave

Shorey/shore break: A wave that lasts all the way to the shore before crashing

Surf's up: A phrase used when there are waves worth surfing

Swell: A series of waves that have traveled from their source in a distant storm, and that will start to break once the swell reaches shallow enough water

Whitewater: As a wave breaks, it continues on as a ridge of turbulence and foam called "whitewater."

Techniques and maneuvers

Air/Aerial: Riding the board briefly into the air above the wave, landing back upon the wave, and continuing to ride

Bail: To step off of the board in order to avoid being knocked off (a wipe out)

Bottom turn: The first turn at the bottom of the wave

Carve: Turns (often accentuated)

Caught inside: When a surfer is paddling out and cannot get past the breaking surf to the safer part of the ocean (the outside) in order to find a wave to ride

Cross step: crossing one leg over the other across the board (usually to make it to the nose)

Cutback: A turn cutting back toward the breaking part of the wave

Drop in: Dropping into (engaging) the wave, most often as part of standing up

"To drop in on someone": To take off on a wave that is already being ridden. Not a legitimate technique or maneuver. It is a serious breach of surfing etiquette.

Duck dive: Pushing the board underwater, nose first, and diving under an oncoming wave instead of riding it

Fade: On take-off, aiming toward the breaking part of the wave, before turning sharply and surfing in the direction the wave is breaking

Fins-free snap (or "fins out"): A sharp turn where the surfboard's fins slide off the top of the wave

Floater: Riding up on the top of the breaking part of the wave, and coming down with it

Goofy foot: Surfing with the left foot on the back of board (less common than regular foot)

Hang Heels: Facing backwards and putting the surfers' heels out over the edge of a longboard

Hang-five/hang ten: Putting five or ten toes respectively over the nose of a longboard

Off the Top: A turn on the top of a wave, either sharp or carving

Pearl: Accidentally driving the nose of the board underwater, generally ending the ride

Pop-up: Going from lying on the board to standing, all in one jump

Pump: An up/down carving movement that generates speed along a wave

Re-entry: Hitting the lip vertically and re-reentering the wave in quick succession.

Regular/Natural foot: Surfing with the right foot on the back of the board

Rolling, Turtle Roll: Flipping a longboard up-side-down, nose first and pulling through a breaking or broken wave when paddling out to the line-up (a turtle roll is an alternative to a duck dive)

Smack the Lip / Hit the Lip: After performing a bottom turn, moving upwards to hit the peak of the wave, or area above the face of the wave.

Snaking, drop in on, cut off, or "burn": When a surfer who doesn't have the right of way steals a wave from another surfer by taking off in front of someone who is closer to the peak (this is considered inappropriate)

Snaking/Back-Paddling: Stealing a wave from another surfer by paddling around the person's back to get into the best position

Snap: A quick, sharp turn off the top of a wave

Soul arch: Arching the back to demonstrate casual confidence when riding a wave

Stall: Slowing down by shifting weight to the tail of the board or putting a hand in the water. Often used to stay in the tube during a tube ride

Side-slip: travelling down a wave sideways to the direction of the board

Switch-foot: Having equal ability to surf regular foot or goofy foot (i.e. left foot forward or right foot forward), like being ambidextrous

Take-off: The start of a ride

Tandem surfing: Two people riding one board. Usually the smaller person is balanced above (often held up above) the other person

Tube riding/Getting barreled: Riding inside the hollow curl of a wave

Accidental

Over the falls: When a surfer falls off the board and the wave sucks him or her up in a circular motion along with the lip of the wave. Also referred to as the "wash cycle", being "pitched over" and being "sucked over"

Wipe out: Falling off, or being knocked off, the surfboard when riding a wave

Rag dolled: When underwater, the power of the wave can shake the surfer around as if he/she were a rag doll

Tombstone: When surfer is held underwater and tries to climb up their leash the board is straight up and down.

About people

Grom/Grommet: A young surfer

Hang loose: Generally means “chill,” “relax” or “be laid back". This message can be sent by raising a hand with the thumb and pinkie fingers up while the index, middle and ring fingers remain folded over the palm, then twisting the wrist back and forth as if waving goodbye, see shaka sign

Hodad: A nonsurfer who pretends to surf and frequents beaches with good surfing

Kook: A wanna-be surfer of limited skill

About the board

Blank: The block from which a surfboard is created

Deck: The upper surface of the board

Ding: A dent or hole in the surface of the board resulting from accidental damage

Fin or Fins: Fin-shaped inserts on the underside of the back of the board that enable the board to be steered

Leash: A cord that is attached to the back of the board, the other end of which wraps around the surfer's ankle

Nose: The forward tip of the board

Quiver: A surfer's collection of boards for different kinds of waves

Rails: The side edges of the surfboard

Rocker: How concave the surface of the board is from nose to tail

Stringer: The line of wood that runs down the center of a board to hold its rigidity and add strength

Tail: The back end of the board

Wax: Specially formulated surf wax that is applied to upper surface of the board to increase the friction so the surfer's feet do not slip off of the board

Clothing

Board shorts

Rash guard

Wetsuit: Often referred to as "rubber", sometimes surfers also wear a neoprene hood and booties in cold conditions

References

Glossary of surfing Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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