Twitter: Ten Words You Need to Know

Twitter: Ten Words You Need to Know

Knowing the language is half the battle. Here, from Twitter: Tips, Tricks and Tweets by Paul McFedries, is a quick and handy guide to how to speak, and understand, Twitter.

Direct Message
A private note that only that recipient can read.

Hashtag
A word that, when preceded by a hash (or # sign), defines or references a topic on Twitter.

RT
An abbreviation used to mark an update as a retweet; a retweet.

Tweeps
A Twitter user's friends.

Tweet
An update posted to Twitter.

Tweetup
A real-world meeting between two or more people who know each other through the online Twitter service.

Twitterer
A Twitter user.

Twittaholic
A person who uses Twitter compulsively.

Twoosh
A tweet that is exactly 140 characters long.

Tword
A new word created by appending "tw" to an existing word.