There’s no doubt that the world of vaping can be a confusing one to enter, especially when you take the lingo into consideration. It seems like as the industry grows, so do the amount of words used to talk about it!
With phrases like cloud-chaser, box mod, drip-tip and throat hit being regularly circulated amongst users, it’s easy to feel like an outsider. So, we’ve come up with an essential A-Z glossary of vaping terms which will help you to get your tongue around vaping terminology.
A
Airflow
The airflow is adjusted (by most e-cigarette devices) by holes in the side of the tank. It affects the amount of draw, vapour and flavour you get from your vape.
All Day Vape
This is essentially a term for an e-liquid that is good. It’s a flavour that you can vape all day!
Atomiser
The atomiser is the electric part inside your device that heats up the e-liquid and turns it into vapour.
B
Base liquid
This is the mixture that consists of PG and/or VG. Flavour and nicotine are added to this to create e-liquid.
Battery
This is one of the most important parts of your vaping device, it powers the heating components which turn e-liquid into vapour. The type of battery you have can affect your vaping style.
C
Cloud-chaser
Cloud-chasers are vapers that enjoy types of vaping which provide thick, dense plumes of vapour (clouds).
Coil
This is the new trendy word for atomiser. Coil has now become the common-use term for the electrical part which turns e-liquid into vapour.
D
Direct to Lung (DTL)
Direct to Lung is a type of vaping where the user directly inhales the vapour into their lungs without taking into their mouth first.
Drip Tip
This is the mouthpiece on the top of your vaping device, it is the part where you put your mouth on to draw and inhale the vapour.
Dry Hit
Whether you knew what this means or not, you’ll know if you’ve had a dry hit. It’s a draw on the device that tastes burnt, usually from an overly used wick.
E
E-juice
It’s the same as e-liquid – the liquid that you put into your e-cigarette to vape.
F
Flooding
When you flood your tank it’s often because you’ve overfilled it, or you’ve spilt some into somewhere you shouldn’t have. You’ll notice a gurgling sound and reduced performance.
Flavour Ghosting
When you switch e-liquid flavours sometimes you can taste the previous flavour, this is called flavour ghosting.
M
Mod
Originally the term for vaping device that had been modified by the user. Now refers to a wide number of e-cigarettes.
Mouth to Lung (MTL)
Mouth to Lung vaping is when you take the vapour into your mouth first before inhaling it, much like you would with a cigarette.
N
Nicotine Shot (Nic Shot)
A nicotine shot is a flavourless, odourless liquid which comes in 10ml quantities. It is used to add to an e-liquid or base mix.
O
Ohm (Ω)
This is a measure of resistance. The higher the ohms, the more the resistance. A lower resistance coil will heat up faster and provide plenty vapour but it will burn out faster. The reverse is true of a high resistance coil.
P
Priming
This is the process of preparing your coil for vaping. It usually involves putting a few drips through a hole in the coil to your wick, or by talking a draw on the vape without heating the e-liquid.
Propylene Glycol (PG)
This is one that most newcomers struggle with. Propylene Glycol or PG, is one of the main ingredients used to make e-liquid. It provides more of a throat hit, and holds more flavour but produces less vapour. For more on PG read our blog article.
S
Starter Kit
Starter kits will contain everything you need start vaping. A standard starter kit will have a simple device, an atomiser and a charger.
Steeping
This is the process of improving and enhancing the flavour of your e-liquid by shaking, heating and leaving the mixture to ‘steep’.
Sub-Ohm
Sub-Ohm vaping is when you use a low-resistance coil to increase the vapour production.
T
Tank
This the top part of your vaping device which holds the coil and the e-liquid, it is also connected to the mouthpiece.
V
Vape
This is a multi-purpose term which refers to the action of vaping (i.e. ‘I’m going for a vape’) and the device itself (i.e. ‘Take a look at my new vape’).
Vegetable Glycerin
This naturally derived chemical partners up with PG to make e-liquid. It provides lots of vapour production, has a smoother throat hit but slightly dilutes flavour.
W
Wick
Wicks have nothing to do with candles, well not in this case. It is the absorbent material inside the coil which carries the e-liquid to the heating component which vaporises it.
Believe it or not, this is a short glossary which covers the essentials that you need to know to “speak vape”. As the e-cigarette industry continues to grow, users are coming up with more interesting and unique ways of describing the vaping experience. However, for newcomers and beginner vapers, all you need to know is right here – so get practising!
