As your student navigates the vibrant world of Greek Life, you might come across various terms and acronyms unique to this community. To help you stay informed and engaged, we've compiled a list of commonly used Greek Life lingo, including terms related to the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and Multicultural Panhellenic Council (MPC).
Common Fraternity and Sorority Terms
Active: A member who has been initiated into lifelong fraternity or sorority membership and is currently an undergraduate.
Alumna/Alumnus: A graduated member of a sorority (alumna) or fraternity (alumnus).
Bid: An invitation to join a IFC fraternity or CPC sorority.
Big Brother/Big Sister: An older member assigned to mentor a new member.
Call: A unique sound used by members of an NPHC and some MPC organization to identify and greet each other.
Chapter: The local group of a larger national or international fraternity or sorority.
CPC: Governing body for traditional female sororities.
Crossing: The term used for when new members of NPHC and MPC organizations complete the intake process and become full members.
Divine Nine: The nine historically African American Greek-letter organizations that make up the NPHC.
Formal Recruitment: A structured process of events for sorority recruitment.
Fraternity: A Greek-letter society for men, also known as a brotherhood
IFC: Governing body for traditional male fraternities.
Initiation: A ceremony where new members become full members of their fraternity or sorority.
Intake: The process specific NPHC and MPC organizations use to recruit, select, and educate new members.
Legacy: A prospective member whose relative is an alumna/alumnus or active member of a fraternity or sorority.
Line: A group of new members who are initiated together during the same intake process.
Line Brother/Line Sister or Pledge Class: Members who are part of the same line or group of initiates.
MPC: Governing body for multicultural fraternities and sororities.
Multicultural Panhellenic Organization: Fraternities and sororities that focus on a specific cultural or ethnic group but are inclusive of all
Neophyte (Neo): A new member of an NPHC organization who has recently crossed.
New Member: A person who has accepted membership but has not yet been initiated..
NPHC: Governing body for historically African American fraternities and sororities.
Prophyte: An older member who has been in the organization for a while and mentors newer members.
Recruitment: The process by which fraternities and sororities select new members.
Rush: Another term for recruitment, specifically for IFC fraternities.
Sorority: A Greek-letter society for women, also known as a sisterhood.
Step: A form of percussive dance within NPHC Organizations in which participants use their bodies to produce complex rhythms and sounds through a combination of footsteps, claps, and spoken word.
Stroll: A synchronized dance performed by members of an NPHC and some MPC organization, often seen at step shows and other events.