Active: an initiated undergraduate member of a fraternity or sorority.

Alumni/Alumnae: An initiated member who is no longer an undergraduate.  (Alumni- plural male, alumnus- singular male; Alumnae- plural female, alumna- singular female.)

Bid: A formal invitation to join a sorority.

Brother: a term used by fraternity members when referencing each other.

Chapter: A chartered unit of a sorority or fraternity.

Colony: A newly-organized group working toward becoming a chartered chapter of a fraternity or sorority.

(COB) Continuous Open Bidding: The process of extending bids outside of the formal recruitment period.

Formal Recruitment: A series of parties given by each sorority or fraternity during a period which is scheduled and governed by the Panhellenic Council or Interfraternity Council.

Fraternity: Greek organization for men or women.

Initiation:  The formal ceremony in which a new member becomes an active member.

(IFC) Interfraternity Council:  Governing council for all NIC fraternities. 

Legacy:  A potential member of a fraternity or sorority who is a child/sibling/grandchild of a member of a Greek organization.

New Member: A member who has accepted a bid from a sorority or fraternity, but who has not been initiated.

NPHC: The governing body of all National Pan-Hellenic organizations.

(PC) Panhellenic Council:  The governing body of all NPC sororities.

Philanthropy: Events sponsored by a Greek organization to raise funds/awareness for a charity.

Pin:  The badge or emblem that a member of a fraternity of sorority wears.

(PNM) Potential New Member:  A man or women going through the Recruitment process.

Recommendation/Reference: A written letter or statement by an alum of a fraternity or sorority recommending a PNM for membership.

Recruitment: A series of parties given by fraternities or sororities by which new members are selected.

(Rho Chi) Recruitment Counselor:  Applies to women participating in PC recruitment only.  A sorority member who has temporarily disaffiliated from her chapter to serve as an impartial counselor to PNMs during the recruitment period.

Ritual: Traditional ceremonies shared by initiated members of the same fraternity or sorority.

Sister: A term used by sorority members when referencing each other.

Sorority: A Greek organization for women.

Quota: The number or new members a PC sorority may recruit during the formal recruitment process.  Set by PC each year.