CS2 Terminology: The Must-Know Counter-Strike 2 Terms

If you're looking to get into Counter-Strike 2, learning the game's lingo is essential. CS2 has a language all its own – used by players during matches, on livestreams, and in YouTube videos. Let’s break down the most important CS2 terms so you’re never left wondering what something means.

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Common Terminology and Slang

When tuning into a Counter-Strike stream or hopping into a game, here are some everyday phrases that players use during matches:

• Ace: An Ace is when a player kills the entire enemy team alone in one round. In other words, killing five players without dying. 
• Clutch: When a player wins a round while being the last player alive on your team. A “clutch” can refer to a 1v1, 1v2, 1v3, 1v4, or 1v5. 
• Eco: A round where a team spends little or no money to save for future rounds and manage the economy. Typically, teams only buy light pistols.
• Force Buy: A round where a team buys weaponry and armor with limited funds, often as a risky or desperate tactic that might catch opponents off guard. 
• Save: Choosing to hide and keep your weapon for the next round instead of trying to win the round. Often done when a team is at a heavy disadvantage.
• Buy Round: A round where the entire team has sufficient funds to purchase rifles, armor, and a full set of grenades. Also called “Full Buy”.
• Frag: Another way of saying “kill”. 
• Lit: An enemy player who has taken significant damage. For example: “He’s lit for 80,” which implies an enemy player has taken 80 damage and only has 20 HP remaining. 
• Dinked: Hitting an enemy in the head with an M4 or a USP-S. Headshots with these weapons are not lethal when an enemy player has head armor.
• One-tap: Killing someone with a single bullet, particularly with a headshot. Does not apply for kills with the AWP sniper. 
• One-Deag: Killing someone with a single bullet using the Desert Eagle. One of the most satisfying things in CS2. 

Equipment and Weaponry Terminology

Counter-Strike revolves around weapons – it’s the entire point of the game. There are terms that relate to guns, grenades, and gear.

• AK / M4: Short for AK-47 and M4A1-S/M4A4. These three weapons are the primary rifles for both sides, making them the most potent weapons in the game.
• AWP: A high-powered sniper rifle, known for killing enemies in one shot. The AWP costs significantly more than the primary rifles.
• Deagle: Short for Desert Eagle, the most iconic pistol in Counter-Strike. Despite it being a pistol, getting a headshot with the Desert Eagle will result in a kill. 
• Utility: The general term for grenades (flashbangs, smokes, molotovs, HE grenades). 
• Flash: Refers to the flashbang, a grenade that is used to temporarily blind enemies. When a teammate says “flash,” they could be asking someone to throw a flashbang for them. 
• Smoke: The smoke grenade which is used to block vision from enemy players, allowing teammates to advance through the map or hold down bomb sites.
• Molly / Molotov: Grenades that create fire on the ground, often used to block areas or flush out enemies from corners. 
• Kit / Defuse Kit: A tool exclusive to Counter-Terrorists, allowing them to cut down defuse durations from 10 seconds to 5. 
• Armor: Reduces damage taken from bullets and grenades. There are two forms of armor: Kevlar for the body, and Helmet for the head. 
• C4 / Bomb: Refers to the C4 Explosive, which is the bomb possessed by the Terrorist side.

Role-Based Terminology

Counter-Strike isn’t only a game where players shoot bullets at each other. There’s strategy involved, and players often take on specific roles within the team. 

• IGL: Short for in-game leader. This is the shot-caller and the captain who leads the team and comes up with team strategies to counter the opponents or catch them by surprise. 
• AWPer: The designated player who primarily uses the AWP. In other words, the sniper of the team. Normally, only one person is tasked with AWPing duties. 
• Entry Fragger: The player who enters a bomb site first to initiate combat, creating space for teammates to follow behind and advance to the site. 
• Support: A player in the backline that provides utility and backup for teammates. Support players are often throwing smokes and flashes to set up the entry fragger for success. 
• Lurker: A player who operates on the opposite side of the map from the team, focused on flanking and catching enemies off-guard. 
• Anchor: A defender who is tasked to hold a bombsite alone or with minimal support.
• Rotator: A defender who is responsible for moving between bomb sites based on enemy activity and current information gained. 

Strategic and Coordinated Terminology

When playing Counter-Strike, teammates must coordinate their map movements for maximum effectiveness. Here are some strategic terminology you must know. 

• Rush: A fast, aggressive push onto one of the bomb sites. Intended to overwhelm opponents and catch them off guard with sheer numbers. 
• Split Push: Attacking the same bomb site from multiple angles simultaneously, aiming to overwhelm enemies by swarming from different sides. 
• Fake: A strategy meant to mislead the enemy. Oftentimes, one player will throw utility on one site while the main squad hits another. 
• Stack: A defensive strategy to put multiple players on one site. Often used during an eco round or a desperate situation. The term “Gamble Stack” is regularly used. 
• Boost: When one player stands on top of another player to gain a height advantage. Some boosts allow players to look down over walls and catch enemies off guard. 
• Default: A standard, spread-out approach where players slowly gather information, take control of the map, and look for a pickoff. 
• Retake: Re-entering a bomb site after it has been taken by the enemy. Generally the round situation where the Terrorists have planted the bomb, and Counter-Terrorists are trying to break back in to defuse. 
• Crossfire: A strategy where two or more players hold angles that intersect, making it harder for enemies to get out of the engagement unscathed. 
• Timing: Taking action, whether it’s a peek or rotation, at the perfect moment, often leading to an advantage by catching enemies off guard or playing ahead. 
• Peeking: Moving quickly around a corner to bait out shots or take an engagement on an enemy holding hit. 
• Double Peek: The act of peeking the same angle with two players. The objective is to overwhelm the enemy holding it, or to trade the first player that dies. 
• Nade Stack: When multiple team members throw HE grenades at the same spot, aiming to blow an enemy player up or deal heavy damage in tight chokepoints. 
• Pop Flash: A flashbang thrown in a way that it explodes just as it comes to view, giving enemies no time to react. Often coordinated by teammates to help entry into contested areas. 

Flavor Terminology

To fit right into the CS2 playerbase, it’s essential to understand flavorful and casual expressions that are commonly used in text chat or voice comms:

• GL: Short for “Good Luck” – often said at the start of the match to show good sportsmanship.
• HF: Short for “Have Fun” – often said at the start of the match to show good sportsmanship.
• NT: Short for “Nice Try” – used to encourage a teammate after a failed attempt, lifting the mood. 
• GG / GGWP: “Good Game” / “Good Game, Well Played” – said at the end of a match to show good sportsmanship.
• EZ: Short for “Easy” – often used tauntingly, and is considered to be bad manners. 
• Rekt: Slang for being badly beaten or outplayed. A short form of the word “wrecked”. 
• Smurf: A higher-skilled playing using a lower-ranked account to destroy opponents that are way below their level. 
• Toxic: Describes a player who is rude, uncooperative, or disruptive. 
• Tilt: Being frustrated or emotionally upset, resulting in that player playing worse than usual. Often leads to rash decision-making.
• BM: Short for “Bad Manners” – disrespectful behavior such as unnecessary taunts.