The Ultimate Divine Nine and Greek Life Terminology Glossary

Divine Nine and Greek life conversations move fast. Members slip between terms like neophyte, sands, on the yard, intake, and probate, and most outside listeners are still trying to figure out what soror or LB means. This glossary collects the terminology that actually shows up inside the nine NPHC organizations and the wider Greek system, grouped by what each word does instead of strict alphabetical order. Whether you are about to cross, watching a step show for the first time, or writing about Black Greek life, these are the words to know.

Council and Organization Terms

• Divine Nine: Term used to describe the nine NPHC affiliate organizations (five fraternities and four sororities). See what the Divine Nine is for the full list.
• NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council): Governing body of the nine historically African American fraternities and sororities.
• NPC (National Panhellenic Conference): Conference of 26 women’s sororities, established in 1902.
• NIC (North American Interfraternity Conference): Confederation of 66 men’s fraternities.
• IFC (Interfraternity Council): Collegiate governing body of NIC-affiliated fraternities on campus.
• NALFO / NMGC: National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations and National Multicultural Greek Council, the umbrella councils for Latino and multicultural Greek organizations.
• Chapter: The local campus branch of a national fraternity or sorority, recognized by Greek letter designation.
• City Wide Chapter: NPHC chapter that spans multiple campuses inside one city.
• Charter: Official document from the national organization that establishes the chapter and grants it the right to operate.
• Colony: A new chapter still in the formation phase, awaiting national recognition.
• On the Yard: NPHC phrase meaning the chapter is currently chartered and active on that campus.
• Plot: The physical landscape marker (bench, planter, painted square) that represents an organization on the campus yard.
• Frat: Nickname for fraternity. Considered offensive in IFC contexts but respectful inside NPHC.

Membership Status and Roles

• Active / Collegian: An initiated member in good standing who is currently in college.
• Alumna / Alumnus (and Alumnae / Alumni): An initiated member who has received their undergraduate degree.
• Inactive Member: A member who has elected to step back from chapter participation and has no chapter vote.
• New Member: A person who has accepted a bid (or intake offer) but has not been initiated yet.
• Big Brother / Big Sister (Big): Older active member assigned to mentor a new member through the process.
• Little / Lil: The new member paired with a Big.
• Soror: NPHC term for a sorority sister. Rarely used inside NPC.
• Brother / Frater: Fraternity member terms; Frater is NPHC specific.
• Jewel (also Pearl): A founder of an NPHC organization.
• Legacy: A potential new member whose parent, sibling, or grandparent was a member.
• Sweetheart: A woman chosen for a fraternity service role. Banned across NPHC since 1990, with the exception of Iota Phi Theta.

Intake, Crossing, and Line Terminology

• Intake (Membership Intake): NPHC’s official process that replaced traditional pledging. Includes interest meetings, application, interview, educational program, and initiation. Capped at 10 weeks at most universities.
• Interest Meeting: NPHC prospective member information session, usually the first formal step toward intake.
• Cross / Crossing / Crossed: The moment when initiates officially become full members.
• Sands: NPHC term for a new member class or the semester cohort. The phrase “cross the burning sands” means to become initiated.
• Line / Ship: The new member cohort within a specific NPHC chapter and semester; lines often have names.
• Number: Chronological initiation order within the line. Same-number members across organizations sometimes call each other sands.
• Ace: First person in a new member line.
• Bullhorn: First person of a line, in Montclair’s glossary (some chapters use Ace, others Bullhorn).
• Anchor (also Tail): Last person in the line.
• LB / LS: Line Brother and Line Sister, members of the same line within the same chapter and semester.
• Neophyte (Neo): A newly initiated NPHC member.
• Prophyte: An older NPHC member, often the one who helped induct the new members.
• New Member Presentation: The official reveal of newly initiated members to campus, often combined with the probate show.
• Probate / Coming Out Show: The public step or stroll performance that introduces a new line. Hosted by NPHC, NALFO, and NMGC organizations.
• Paper Members: NPHC critique term for members who joined without going through new member education.
• Dropping Line: A member self-removing from intake before initiation.
• Rush: The outdated word for recruitment. Replaced by “recruitment” in 1999. NPHC moved away from “rush” entirely with the shift to intake.

Cultural Practices: Stepping, Strolling, Calls, Signs

• Stepping: Percussive dance that uses the entire body as instrument, layering footsteps, spoken word, and hand claps. See our full guide to what stepping is in Greek life.
• Strolling (Party Walking): Synchronized energetic line dance expressing organizational pride, incorporating calls, signs, and history. Read our history of strolling for context.
• Step Show: Public performance combining stepping, strolling, singing, chanting, and acting. A core showcase format on the NPHC calendar.
• Yard Show: Outdoor step show variant held on the campus yard, often during homecoming or probate season.
• Marching: Linked-arm, in-unison stepping, stomping, dipping, and chanting performed by potential new members or pledges.
• Surfacing: The first public appearance of a Latino organization line; post-1990 NALFO term.
• Calls and Chants: Vocal expressions unique to a single organization, used to greet members or punctuate a step. Imitating them as a non member is disrespectful.
• Signs: Unique hand symbols of an NPHC organization. Same etiquette rule as calls.
• Roll Call: NPHC event announcement, often delivered as a call.
• Greeting: Formalized way potential new members address current members using a skit, song, or short prose.

Paraphernalia, Plots, and Visible Identifiers

• Paraphernalia (Nalia, Pari, Para): Clothing and accessories displaying organization letters or symbols. See our guide to Greek paraphernalia rules for placement and etiquette.
• Letters: The Greek letters displayed on apparel. Many organizations restrict new members to spelled out names rather than letters until initiation.
• Badge / Pin: The outward membership symbol given at initiation. Worn at official functions, over the heart.
• Crest: Organizational insignia containing meanings shared only with initiated members.
• Colors: The official color pair or triad of the organization. Often worn at probate, homecoming, and yard events.
• Lavaliere: A Greek letter necklace, given in a romantic relationship context.
• Tiki: A larger wooden necklace with Greek letters, bigger than a lavaliere.
• Handshake / Grip: A unique handshake used between initiated members only.
• Plot: Physical landscape representation at a campus location (bench, planter, painted square).

Behavior, Etiquette, and Things to Avoid

• Discretion: Behaving and speaking in ways that avoid revealing private organizational information. A core NPHC expectation.
• Ritual: The secret ceremony and document containing founding principles. Sacred, generational, never shared.
• Brand: A voluntary organizational symbol burned into the skin. Not required by any chapter; our branding tradition guide covers the history and choice.
• Hazing: Any act that is likely to cause harm, danger, public embarrassment, or psychological injury during the membership process. Illegal in every state, including a Class C felony in Missouri.
• Cross Pledging: Allowing members of another organization to interact with your recruits, generally prohibited.
• Hot Boxing: Pressuring potential members to join.
• Perp: An impostor wearing letters or claiming membership they do not have.
• Dirty Rushing: Influencing recruits through gifts, favors, or disparaging competitors.
• Cutting Through a Stroll: Walking between members of a stroll line while they are performing. Treated as a serious etiquette violation.
• Imitating Calls or Signs: Repeating an organization’s call, chant, or hand sign as a non member. Treated as cultural disrespect, not a casual mistake.
• Underground: A member participating with the chapter but ineligible for the official roster.