This Glossary of surfing includes some of the extensive vocabulary

Vocabulary

A person's vocabulary is the set of words within a language that are familiar to that person. A vocabulary usually develops with age, and serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge...

 used to describe various aspects of the sport of surfing

Surfing

Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...

 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 of a beach, or on a sandbar further 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
• 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 further from the shore than the area where most of the 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
• Surf's up: A phrase used when there are waves worth surfing (sometimes there is nothing to ride because the ocean is flat)
• Swell
  Swell (ocean)
  A swell, in the context of an ocean, sea or lake, is a series surface gravity waves that is not generated by the local wind. Swell waves often have a long wavelength but this varies with the size of the water body, e.g. rarely more than 150 m in the Mediterranean, and from event to event, with...
  
  : 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: After the wave has finished breaking, it continues on as a ridge of turbulence and foam, the 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
• 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
• 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
  Hang Ten
  Hanging Ten is a surfing maneuver and is considered one of the most impressive and iconic stunts one can perform with a surfboard. Hanging ten is when the surfer positions the surfboard in such a way that the back of it is covered by the wave and the wave rider is free to walk to the front of the...
  
  : 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
  Soul arch
  The soul arch is a classic surfing manoeuvre: performed by arching the back whilst riding a wave, demonstrating nonchalance and casual confidence.- Origins:...
  
  : 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
• Switch-foot: Having equal ability to surf regular foot or goofy foot (i.e. left foot forward or right foot forward), like being ambidextrous
  Cross-dominance
  Cross-dominance, also known as mixed-handedness, mixed dominance, or hand-confusion, is a motor skill manifestation where a person favors one hand for some tasks and the other hand for others. For example, a cross-dominant person might write with the left hand but throw primarily with the right...
  
  
• 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
  Tube riding
  Tube riding is a term used by surfers to describe riding well inside the curve or barrel of a finely-shaped breaking wave. Under the right conditions, waves in some areas form a moving "tube" or cylinder as they break, for example, see the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii.The most straightforward way to...
  
  /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

About people

• Grom/Grommet: A young surfer
• Hang-loose: Generally meaning "catch that wave" or "well done". 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
  Shaka sign
  The shaka sign is a common greeting gesture. It is often associated with Hawaii. It consists of extending the thumb and smallest finger while keeping the three middle fingers curled, and raising the hand as in salutation with the back of the hand facing the person that is being greeted; sometimes...
  
  
• 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
• Tail: The back end of the board
• Wax: Specially formulated surf wax that is applied to upper surface of the board to increase the traction so the surfer's feet do not slip off of the board

Clothing

• Board shorts
• Rash guard
  Rash guard
  A rash guard, also known as rash vest or rashie, is a type of water wear, an athletic shirt made of spandex and nylon or polyester. The name rash guard reflects the fact that the shirt protects the wearer against rashes caused by abrasion. These shirts can be worn by themselves, or under a wetsuit...
  
  
• Wetsuit
  Wetsuit
  A wetsuit is a garment, usually made of foamed neoprene, which is worn by surfers, divers, windsurfers, canoeists, and others engaged in water sports, providing thermal insulation, abrasion resistance and buoyancy. The insulation properties depend on bubbles of gas enclosed within the material,...
  
  : sometimes surfers also wear a neoprene
  Neoprene
  Neoprene or polychloroprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene. Neoprene in general has good chemical stability, and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range...
  
  hood and booties in cold conditions

External links

• List of terms
• Another list of terms
• More