Surf Glossary for Beginners

A complete list of essential surf terms every beginner should know.

A

Fins: Small blades fixed under the surfboard that help steer and stabilize it.

All-rounder: A versatile type of surfboard suitable for various wave conditions.

B

Backside: Surfing with your back facing the wave.

Beachbreak: Waves that break over a sandy bottom.

Bodyboard: A small foam board ridden lying down or on your knees.

Bottom turn: The first turn made at the bottom of the wave after take-off.

C

Channel: A deeper area between sandbanks where waves don’t break.

Carve: To perform tight turns on the wave face.

Cutback: A maneuver where the surfer turns back toward the breaking part of the wave.

D

Drop: The descent down the face of the wave right after take-off.

Duck dive: A technique used to push yourself and your board under an oncoming wave.

E

Tidal zone (intertidal area): The area of the beach that is alternately covered and uncovered by tides.

F

Foam: White water created by breaking waves.

Frontside: Surfing with your chest facing the wave.

Fin: Another term for the board’s aileron (used interchangeably with “fins”).

G

Glassy: When the surface of the water is smooth and mirror-like, with no wind.

Goofy: A stance with the right foot forward on the board.

H

Hang five/ten: Placing five or ten toes over the nose of a longboard.

Hollow: A hollow, barreling wave that forms a tube.

I

Impact zone: The area where waves break with the most power.

Inside: The zone closer to the shore.

J

Jetty: A pier or rock structure that can create surfable waves.

K

Kook: Slang for a clumsy beginner who doesn’t follow surf etiquette.

L

Leash: The cord that attaches the surfboard to the surfer’s ankle.

Line-up: The area where surfers wait for incoming waves.

M

Mal: Short for “Malibu,” refers to a longboard.

Tide: The rising and falling movement of the sea, affecting surf conditions.

N

Nose: The front part of the surfboard.

Nose riding: Riding the wave while standing near the nose of the board.

O

Offshore: Wind blowing from the land out to sea — ideal for clean waves.

Onshore: Wind blowing from the sea toward the land — usually creates choppy waves.

P

Peak: The highest point of a wave before it breaks.

Pop-up: The movement of going from lying down to standing on the surfboard.

Priority: The rule determining which surfer has the right to take a wave.

Q

Quiver: A surfer’s collection of boards for different conditions.

R

Reef break: Waves that break over a reef or rocky bottom.

Regular: A stance with the left foot forward on the surfboard.

Riptide / Rip current: A strong current pulling away from the shore toward the open sea.

S

Section: A specific part or portion of a wave.

Set: A series of larger waves arriving at regular intervals.

Shore break: Waves that break directly on the shore.

Shortboard: A short surfboard (under 7 feet).

Spot: A surf location or surf break.

Stance: The surfer’s foot position on the board.

Surf forecast: Prediction of wave, wind, and tide conditions for surfing.

Swell: Ocean waves generated by distant winds, forming the base of surf conditions.

T

Tail: The back end of the surfboard.

Take-off: The moment when the surfer stands up on the board to catch a wave.

Tube / Barrel: A hollow, cylindrical wave where the surfer rides inside the curl.

Turtle roll: A technique for ducking under waves by flipping the board upside down.

W

Wax: Sticky wax applied to the deck of the surfboard for grip.

Wipe-out: Falling off the board while surfing.

White water: The foamy white part of the wave after it breaks.

Z

Surf zone: The designated area reserved for surfing.