Surf Terms
53 commentsWith the help of this Surfing Terms page you'll be able to not only walk like a surfer, but you'll also be able to talk like one. Chill with the locals, impress the hotties at the local bar, or show up that know-it-all brat who is going out with your younger brother or sister. Read on and increase your knowledge.
(Thanks to everyone who is e-mailing us with new terms to include. Keep them coming!)
One piece of surf talk you will always hear: "You should have been here yesterday!"
Glossary of Surfing Terms
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P
Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
180 / 360
A-Frame
The perfect barreling surf, a cross-section of an A-frame wave reveals an "A" shape where it is breaking soooo nicely
Aggro
Aggressive attitude in the water; having a bad attitude
Air / Aerial
An advanced surfing manoeuver where the surfer and board leave the surface of the wave. Here are some great air photos
Amped
Getting excited while surfing or really looking forward to a surf
Ankle Busters / Snappers
Small waves
ASP
ASP stands for Association of Professional Surfing. These guys look after the professional side of surfing. Visit their site at www.aspworldtour.com.
Backdoor
Entering a barrel from behind the peak of the breaking wave. Backdoor is also the name of the right hand wave that sometimes breaks at the famous wave of Pipeline.
Backside
Surfing with your back towards the wave. A regular footed surfer going left or a goofy footed surfer going right will be surfing backside. The opposite is frontside.
Banks
Sand on the sea floor of a beach break. Beach break waves are dependent on the quality of the sand banks to provide good, surfable waves.
Bail
To bail is to jump of the board to avoid an imminent wipeout.
Barrel
A barrel is where the wave is hollow when it is breaking. For some surfers it's the be all and end all of surfing. Is sometimes called a "tube."
Beach Break
This is a wave that breaks over a sandy sea bed. You've not read up about waves, have you?
Beach Leech
The perfect description of a beach leech: "Some people don't bring their own boards, and prefer to borrow your extra boards (they don't rent). And for wax, some don't really bring it. They just ask for some."
Bells Beach
Bells Beach is one of the great right point breaks. Find it on the south Victorian coastline of Australia. Check out the Bells Beach Pro held in March every year. This was the setting for that tearful end bit in the movie "Point Break" when Patrick (twinkletoes) Swayze AKA Bodie ate it at the end of Point Break. (And no doubt that after reading the waves page and finding out what a point break actually is, you're feeling particularly chuffed with yourself!)
It should also be pointed out that it was not actually Bells Beach where the scene was filmed but India Beach in Oregon. Thanks to Danny from Oregon for this info.
Billabong
What Australians call a watering hole, but to everyone else it is one of the largest surfing equipment and clothing manufacturers out there.
Bitchin'
Old school for really good or enjoyable
Blank
The foam used to shape a surfboard
Blown Out
Where the onshore wind turns the surf in to unrideable mush
Board
The fibreglass thingy under your feet
Boardshorts / Boardies
These shorts are quick drying, lightweight, and worn by those lucky enough to be surfing in warm water. Check the men's boardshorts here and the women's boardshorts here.
Booger / Boogieboarder
Slang for body boarders.
Bottom Turn
This is the turn made at the base of the wave when coming down off the face. It's often the first move made after dropping in. Get it right for great positioning for your next manoeuver.
Carve / Carving
The classic surfing manoeuver, carving is basically what turning on a wave is called. Carve is also a surfing magazine found in Europe.
Caught Inside
A surfer who is caught inside is too far in, and the waves are breaking further out. It can be dangerous in big surf.
Charging
A surfer really going for it on a wave, surfing aggresively. Charges, as in "ho, that guy charges".
Chinese Wax Job
Getting wax on the bottom of your surfboard
Choka
Bitchin', awesome, great etc.
Choppy
Where the surface of the ocean is rough / bumpy
Chowder
Used to describe the pollution conditions when there's a turd in the lineup — "I caught some sick waves out there but it was hard trying not to swallow the chowder."
Clean
Waves that break from a single peak along it's length, providing an open face for a surfer to ride on. The opposite of messy
Clean Up Set
A wave or set of waves that are larger than average and break before the line up, resulting in clearing the line-up of surfers
Clidro
The process where a surfer turns up and down the face of the wave while surfing down the line
Close Out
Where a wave breaks along its length all at once
Clucked
Being scared of afraid of waves
Corduroy
Swell lines that look like corduroy; see this corduroy swell picture that illustrates it perfectly.
Cowabunga
Slang from 1960's surf culture, cried out enthusiastically when surfing — The surfer's cry "Cowabunga" as they climb a 12 foot wall of water and "take the drop."
Cranking
When the waves are good, it's said to be cranking.
Cross Step / Stepping
This is the art of walking up and down a longboard, foot over foot. When you see some guy / gal running up and down their board, you'll now know what to call it.
Cutback
Making a cutback is reversing the direction that you are surfing in one smooth fluid move. (That's the idea anyway.)
Dawn Patrol
Going surfing first thing in the morning
Deck
The is the bit of the surfboard you stand on. (Hopefully you have your board the right way round in the water.)
Ding
Surfboard damage — "Oh dear me, I've dinged my board!" (Perhaps a little more profanity will be used.)
Dirty Lickings
Taking a gnarly wipeout
Drop, The
The drop is where a surfer first gets up on the waves and drops down the face of the wave. It's also referred to as "taking the drop."
Drop In
Dropping in is a crime in the surf world. A drop-in is where a surfer catches a wave without having priority, i.e. there is already a surfer on the wave. Please see diagram above. Remember, it's a CRIME!
Drop Knee
Riding a longboard with one knee on the deck of the surfboard
Duck dive / Duck Diving
Duck Diving is diving under an oncoming wave when paddling out. See duck diving in full detail in surfing lesson three — duck diving.
Dude
Dude, we almost forgot dude! Dude can mean pretty much anything depending on the tone and inflection. (Thanks go to Corey Ferguson for this one.)
Dumping
Often caused by onshore conditions, where a wave will fold over in big sections, making it un-surfable
Eat It
Wiping out on a wave.
Endless Summer
"Endless Summer" is the absolute classic surfing movie. Forget all this new school tricky stuff. Watch this movie, and if you are not a surfer before viewing, you'll certainly want to be after. I cannot emphasise how good this is — WATCH IT! (Even the other half will enjoy it!!!) Check out this video and others at the surf video page.
Epic
Top class surf or extremely good waves; description of an awesome wave or surf session
Eskimo Roll
(See Turtle Roll)
Face
The unbroken part of the wave
Fakie
This is where someone rides backwards on the surfboard, tail first. It's also what you are if you're only reading this page so you can pretend that you're a surfer.
FCS
FCS stands for fin control system. This is a type of fin that is fully removable from the surfboard. It's ideal if you break a fin (you don't have to get a new on glassed back on), or if you are travelling. (It's best to remove the fins to keep your board from being damaged.)
Fin
The fin is the curved bit hanging down under your surfboard that you keep bashing when you tie your surfboard to the roof of your car. It's sometimes called a skeg.
Firing
Firing is the same as "going off", where the surf is really good and the waves are breaking nicely.
Fish
A type of surfboard shape, shorter and thicker than a standard shortboard. Fish surfboards are for surfing smaller waves
Flat
No waves. Boo hoo!
Foamies
These are either whitewater waves or surfboards that are made out of foam. (They're ideal for beginners.)
Foil
The rate of change of thickness of a surfboard from the nose to the tail
Frontside
Surfing with your front towards the wave. A regular footed surfer going right or a goofy footed surfer going left will be surfing frontside. The opposite is backside.
Froth
The foam left after a wave has broken
Frube
A surfer who does not catch a wave for the whole time they are in the water
Funboard
A mid-length surfboard, often know as a minimal; see funboard examples here
Gidget
This is the nickname of the title character created in a novel by Frederick Kohner (and adapted for three further films). Gidget is a contraction of "girl midget," which is why it went on to be used to describe small female surfers.
Glass Job
The fibreglass finish on a surfboard
Glassy
This is ultra-clean surf without a ripple that often looks like glass. Click here to see a glassy wave.
Gnarly
Particularly dangerous surf conditions
Goofy / Goofy Foot
Surfing with your right foot forward
Goat Boater
Derogatory term for kayakers and wave skiers
Going off
If the surf is really good, you could say it's going off.
Green Room
Inside the tube or barrel
Gremmie / Grommet / Grom
Any of the above can be used to describe a young or inexperienced surfer.
Grommet is also the cute doggie character in the Nick Park animation creations. (And they are really rather good!)
Grey Belly
An older surfer with the big belly
Grubbing
Falling off your board while surfing
Gul
British surfing equipment manufacturer
Gun
A surfboard designed for big waves
Hang Eleven
This is when a male surfer rides his board in the nude. (Such as nearby Black's Beach in San Diego: thanks to Gary M. Steinhaus for this one!)
Hang Ten
If you're riding a longboard with both feet directly on the nose of the board, your hanging ten. It's also the name of a longboard magazine.
Heavy
Heavy has a couple of meanings. When used as in "heavy waves," it means big, gnarly, kick ass waves. Teahupoo, Mavericks and Pipeline are three waves that would have to be described as heavy with a capital "H." The same term can be used to describe the locals at a spot. (For the same kick ass reason!)
Ho-dad
Anyone who annoys board riders while they surf (austral Women's Weekly Oct. 24, 1962)
Hodad
A hodad is a non-surfing beach bum. (Pix Sept. 28, 1963) Thanks go to John Gentile for the Hodads.
Hollow
Tubing waves, a-frames, barrels
Impact Zone
The spot where the waves are breaking
In the Soup
A term used when a surfer is in the white foam of the wave after the wave has broken
Indo
Slang for Indonesia, home of some classic surf spots and a top surf trip destination
Inside
The area of whitewater where the waves have broken, between the shore and the line-up. Also, inside can be used to describe the section of a wave that breaks towards the end of the ride, closest to the shore
Instinct
Popular brand of surf clothing
Jeffrey's Bay / J Bay
Jeffrey's Bay is a South African surf break of the highest calibre. It's one of the world's most famous, high quality right handers. (Don't know what a right hander is? Then go learn your waves. Go have a look at the section on waves.)
Junkyard Dog
A surfer with poor style or a surfer who only surfs crappy waves
Keg
Another word for a barrel / tube
Kick Out
Finishing a ride by turning back out over the top of the wave
Kickflip
A new school surf trick which involves rotating the board 360° along it's length while airborne, and landing back on the board. Here's a good example.
Kneeboarding
A surfing spin-off, kneeboarding is riding the waves on your knees using a special knee board.
Kook
A beginner or someone who is not very good at surfing. A try hard. Someone who surfs to try and look cool. Someone who does not follow the rules in the lineup, drops in etc.
Layback
The layback is a surfing manoeuver where the surfer literally lays backwards on a wave. It's one of surfing's more extreme tricks.
Leash
This is the cord that is attached between your leg and your surfboard. Click here for more information about a leash or find out about how to attach your surfboard leash here.
Left
A wave that breaks from right to left from a surfer point of view when facing into the shore.
Leg rope
See Leash above.
Leggy
Australian slang for the leash.
Line Up
The line up is the place just outside the breaking waves where surfers wait for their waves
Lines
Unbroken waves heading towards the shore. See corduroy
Lip
The tip of the breaking part of the wave
Locked In
When a wave crashes and the surfer is inside of it
Longboard
A long surfboard with a rounded nose. See our longboard selection
Lull
This is when the ocean goes flat between sets and everyone sits around waiting for the waves to arrive
Mal / Malibu
Another description of a longboard surfboard
Mavericks
This is a famous big wave spot off the California coast. Not to be confused with the film "Maverick", starring Mel Gibson, although you need to be pretty brave to tackle both.
Men In Grey Suits
SHARKS!!!!!
Messy
Waves that close out, break irregularly and that are not ideal to surf on. The opposite of clean surf, generally caused by an onshore or cross-shore wind
MR
Multi-world champ and all round surfing legend Mark Richards
Mullering
Wipe-out of the highest order
Mush / Mushburger
Poor quality, slow, or non-powerful waves, often onshore
Comments
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Teamer
on Apr 18, 2011 |
This is such a good list. You've missed Kickflip though. |
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Guest
on Apr 30, 2011 |
wow this was really helpful. i'm trying to write a book about a girl that surfs, but since i live in georgia it's kinda been hard. THANKS! from - Fakie |
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Guest
on May 20, 2011 |
Great list BUT the man's name was BODHI, how could you spell that wrong?! |
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Guest
on May 27, 2011 |
i want to surf so bad |
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Guest
on Jun 9, 2011 |
THIS LIST IS PRO! THANKS BRO!!! |
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Guest
on Jun 22, 2011 |
I was trying to write a story of a surfer and this list is awesome THANKS!!!!!! |
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Guest
on Jul 20, 2011 |
DIS IS A COOL LIST MAN |
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Awesome
on Aug 1, 2011 |
neat list bro!! |
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FE
on Aug 15, 2011 |
Flat -- no waves. |
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Tarzan
on Aug 28, 2011 |
Gnarly list brewster! |
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Guest
on Aug 31, 2011 |
Is there a term used to describe the water or conditions beyond a big wave? Like, if I were to go out, see a big wave but want to know what is beyond it? |
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surf patrol
on Sep 1, 2011 |
Thanks for the updates, kickflip and flat have been added. |
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Guest
on Sep 6, 2011 |
brahhhh what a narly list its rad brahhh |
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Guest
on Sep 20, 2011 |
What about Froathin? |
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surf patrol
on Sep 20, 2011 |
I'm unsure about the definition of froathin, is it excited about good waves? |
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Guest
on Sep 23, 2011 |
Really helpful... i'm writing a book about people moving to Hawaii to surf so this really helped. |
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Guest
on Sep 29, 2011 |
Not so much on names of all of the different surfing maneuvers . I only mention this because that is what I was looking for. Thanks anyhow |
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Guest
on Oct 5, 2011 |
Whats a pop up |
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surf patrol
on Oct 6, 2011 |
A pop up is how a surfer goes from lying to standing on the surfboard. Learn how to pop up here. I'll add pop up to this list. |
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808 rider
on Oct 14, 2011 |
what about periling |
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surf patrol
on Oct 15, 2011 |
see Perl / Pearl on the next page |
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Guest
on Oct 21, 2011 |
great stuff bromeo:P |
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Shoobie
on Oct 23, 2011 |
What about the Green Room, Bro? and Leggy, Wipeout, Noah's (Sharks) some aussie frothin terms for ya brah! Shakka! |
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surf patrol
on Oct 24, 2011 |
Thanks for the comment Shoobie. Wipeout and Green Room are already on the list, but I'll get leggy and Noah's added. |
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Guest
on Nov 6, 2011 |
Hi, how do you Call the stream of air and water that a good barrel usually blows out? |
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surf patrol
on Nov 7, 2011 |
Tube spit. |
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Guest
on Nov 8, 2011 |
What does it mean when someone yells "outside!"? |
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surf patrol
on Nov 8, 2011 |
Yelling "outside" warns surfers of a bigger wave coming, surfers can then paddle further out and avoid getting caught out by it. |
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Guest
on Nov 16, 2011 |
you guys didnt put in sketchy!!! |
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sk8ter boy
on Dec 5, 2011 |
this is a rad page |
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Guest
on Jan 18, 2012 |
radical |
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Guest
on Jan 18, 2012 |
What about shacka brah ? |
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Guest
on Jan 20, 2012 |
I love Point Break |
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Guest
on Jan 21, 2012 |
THANKS! i am writing a story called Crashing Waves and this is totally perfect. i will give credit to you guys for sure. |
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Lobo
on Jan 22, 2012 |
^ I wish there was a Point Break 2! |
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Surfer
on Jan 23, 2012 |
sweet page |
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Guest
on Jan 30, 2012 |
surfing is amazing |
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Guest
on Feb 15, 2012 |
K00K |
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Guest
on Feb 17, 2012 |
that's the very list I want!!!!!THANKS!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Guest
on Feb 28, 2012 |
crazy |
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Guest
on Mar 1, 2012 |
lol, hang eleven. i didn't know that one! o.O |
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Guest
on Mar 12, 2012 |
Great list for a KooK like me, thanx! What about Rip and Low Rise? |
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best place to surf?
on Mar 19, 2012 |
best place to surf? |
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Pensacola Kid
on Mar 29, 2012 |
Need to add "Grom" and "Outside" |
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Guest
on Apr 3, 2012 |
Thanks. c: ♥ I'm doing surfing lessons this summer again when I'm at my condo, so it's good I'll have soemthing to refer too! |
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Guest
on Apr 8, 2012 |
Sucking dry? please explain , Fakie |
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Guest
on Apr 9, 2012 |
CHARGES- As in "ho, that guy charges"... |
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soulsurferrocks
on Apr 14, 2012 |
im going to do surfing camp some year and i hope i become as good as bethany hamiton!you guys who havent seen soul surfer see it!bethany lost 60% of her blood. |
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surf patrol
on Apr 18, 2012 |
Thanks for all the suggestions, I've updated our surf dictionary this morning and added some fresh terms. |
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Guest
on May 9, 2012 |
Bombora. That's a must for aussie terms |
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Guest
on May 9, 2012 |
Hang Loose, it's an oldie |
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Beachcruzer
on May 10, 2012 |
akaw! : Something surfers shout when they spot a huge perfect wave, or when they are shocked or surprised. Old School! |
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Guest
on May 13, 2012 |
Lovely site. What about "The Pocket / In the Pocket"? |